Intradiscal electrothermal therapy for symptomatic internal disc disruption: 24-month results and predictors of clinical success

Laser Reconstruction of Spinal Discs Experiments and Clinic

Degenerative disease of the intervertebral discs (DDD) is currently a serious problem facing the world community. The surgical methods and conservative therapy used today, unfortunately, do not stop the pathological process, but serve as a palliative method that temporarily relieves pain and improves the patient’s quality of life. Therefore, at present, there is an active search for new methods of treating DDD. Among new techniques of treatment, biological methods, and minimally invasive surgery, including the use of laser radiation, which, depending on the laser parameters, can cause ablative or modifying effects on the disc tissue, have acquired considerable interest. Here, we analyze a new approach to solving the DDD problem: laser tissue modification. This review of publications is focused on the studies of the physicochemical foundations and clinical applications of a new method of laser reconstruction of intervertebral discs. Thermomechanical action of laser radiation modifies tissue and leads to its regeneration as well as to a long-term restoration of disc functions, elimination of pain and the return of patients to normal life.

Thermal-Induced Osteonecrosis of Adjacent Vertebra after Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy

A 42-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with complaints of low back pain and intermittent right thigh pain. Twelve weeks before admission, the patient received intradiscal electrothermal therapy (IDET) at a local hospital. The patient still reported low back pain after the procedure that was managed with narcotic analgesics. Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed, and his referring physician thought the likely diagnosis was spondylodiscitis at the L4–5 spinal segment with a small epidural abscess. At admission to our department, the patient reported aggravated low back pain. Blood test results, including the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein levels, were slightly elevated. Biopsy samples of the L4, L5 vertebral bodies and disk were obtained. The material underwent aerobic, anaerobic, fungal, mycobacterial cultures and histologic examination. Results of all cultures were negative. Histologically, necrosis of the bone was evident from the number of empty osteocyte lacunae. In addition, there was no evidence of infection based on biopsy results. No antibiotic treatment was administered on discharge. Repeat computed tomography and MRI performed 12 months after IDET showed a bony defect in the L4 and L5 vertebral bodies, and a decrease in the size of the L4–5 intervertebral disc lesion. We report a case of lumbar vertebral osteonecrosis induced by IDET and discuss etiology and radiologic features.

Clinical Efficacy of Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Annuloplasty and Nucleoplasty for Treatment of Patients with Discogenic Low Back Pain

OBJECTIVES

This study assessed the effectiveness of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar annuloplasty and nucleoplasty (PELAN) for the treatment of patients with discogenic low back pain.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective design

SETTING

Spine hospital

SUBJECTS

Forty-seven patients diagnosed as having discogenic low back pain, who were refractory to conservative treatments.

METHODS

Outcomes were assessed using a numeric rating scale for back pain, the Oswestry disability index, and modified MacNab's criteria, at 2-3 weeks and at least 12 months after treatment.

RESULTS

At long-term follow-up, 33 patients (70%) had successful outcomes for relief of pain, and the same proportion had successful reduction of disability. Although all patients took oral analgesics for pain control before PELAN, 25 (53%) required no analgesics at long-term follow-up. If success is defined as simultaneously achieving greater than 50% reduction in pain, greater than 40% reduction of disability, good or excellent MacNab criteria, and no need for analgesics, 23 patients (49%; with 95% confidence interval of 35-63%) achieved successful outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with discogenic low back pain refractory to conservative treatment, PELAN provided favorable clinical outcomes with success rates that rival those of surgery for this condition.

Efficacy, Safety, and Predictors of Intradiscal Methylene Blue Injection for Discogenic Low Back Pain: Results of a Multicenter Prospective Clinical Series

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective clinical study of intradiscal methylene blue injection for the treatment of lumbar discogenic pain.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to collect information about efficacy, safety, and acceptability of the intervention, gain and burden of outcome measures, and sample size assumptions for a potential following randomized controlled trial (RCT). If the pilot study demonstrates that this treatment is potentially effective and safe, and the methods and procedures used in this study are feasible, a RCT follows.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Low back pain (LBP) is a highly common problem with a lifetime prevalence of more than 70%. A substantial part of chronic LBP is attributable to degenerative changes in the intervertebral disc. A recently published RCT assessing the treatment intradiscal injection of methylene blue for chronic discogenic LBP, showed exceptionally good results.

METHODS

Patients were selected on clinical criteria, magnetic resonance imaging, and a positive provocative discogram. The primary outcome measure was mean pain reduction at 6 months.

RESULTS

Fifteen consecutive patients with chronic lumbar discogenic pain enrolled in a multicenter prospective case series in two interventional pain treatment centers in the Netherlands. Six months after the intervention, 40% of the patients claimed at least 30% pain relief. In patients who responded, physical function improved and medication use diminished. We observed no procedural complications or adverse events. Predictors for success were Pfirrmann grading of 2 or less and higher quality of life mental component scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings of 40% positive respondents, and no complications, give reason to set up a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, trial.

Intradiscal electrothermal therapy treatment for back pain

The intradiscal electrothermal therapy (IDET) procedure is a minimally invasive technique designed to treat discogenic chronic low back pain. The debate surrounding IDET ranges from the concept of the procedure, the technique and patient selection, to its effectiveness. The procedure provides modest improvement; however, it is considered less invasive and destructive than other modalities of treatments available at the present time, and has lower cost. The effectiveness evidence is limited at the present time, but based on the results of six recently published positive single-arm studies, it appears that patients experienced a perceptible clinical benefit from the IDET procedure. Thus, IDET is recommended in patients with moderate functional impairment, relatively well-maintained disc heights and discogenic pain caused by annular tears or protrusions less than 3-4 mm after the failure of less invasive procedures.

The Prolo Scale: history, evolution and psychometric properties

BACKGROUND

The Prolo Scale (PS) is a widely accepted assessment tool for lumbar spinal surgery results. Nevertheless, in the literature there is a dearth of consensus about its application, interpretation and accuracy. The purpose of this review is to investigate the evolution of the PS from its introduction in 1986 to the present, including an analysis of different versions of the scale and research on the existing studies investigating its psychometric properties.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane Library and PEDro databases were searched. Studies in English, Italian, French, Spanish and German published from 1986 to December 2012 were analyzed.

RESULTS

The original lumbar surgery outcome scale consisted of two Likert-type scales (economic and functional). There are three more versions of the scale: Schnee proposed one consisting of 10 items, Brantigan made one with 20 items and introduced 2 more subscales (pain and medication), and Davis adapted the scale for the cervical spine. PS is often mentioned without any specific reference to the version used; therefore, a homogeneous comparison of studies is difficult to achieve. Several authors agree on the need to embrace a multidimensional measuring system to evaluate low back pain (LBP), but there is still no consensus regarding the most reliable tool. To date, PS has been mostly used as secondary outcome measure in association with validated primary measures for LBP.

CONCLUSIONS

The Prolo Scale has been adopted for clinical examination for 20 years because it is easy to administer and useful to compare significant amounts of data from surgical studies carried out at different times. Although several authors demonstrated the scale sensitivity among a battery of tests, no thorough validation study was found in the current literature.

Avaliação prospectiva dos resultados a longo prazo da terapia intradiscal percutânea lombar por radiofrequência

OBJETIVO: Avaliar os resultados do tratamento da lombalgia crônica discogênica com a técnica IDET (Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy) em um acompanhamento maior que dois anos de pós-operatório (PO). MÉTODOS: Estudo prospectivo, avaliando 23 pacientes consecutivos com diagnóstico de lombalgia crônica discogênica tratados com IDET entre fevereiro de 2003 e fevereiro de 2006. A dor foi considerada discogênica em caso de discografia positiva ou imagem compatível com a ressonância magnética, segundo os critérios de Horton e Daftari. Os parâmetros clínicos (EVA e Oswestry) foram avaliados no pré-operatório, no retorno com 6, 12, 18, 24 e mais de 48 meses de pós-operatório. RESULTADOS: A média de idade dos pacientes foi de 42,09 (variação de 26 a 51 anos). A média do período do acompanhamento foi de 32,55 meses (variação de 6 a 68 meses). A média do índice de dor (EVA) foi de 7,07 ± 1,90, reduzindo-se para 2,47 ±1,876 em 6 meses, 2,69 ±1,82 em 12 meses, 3,63 ±1,75 em 18 meses e 5,73 ±2,12 em 24 meses. A média do índice Oswestry foi de 39,26 ± 11,96 no pré-operatório, reduzindo-se para 19,44±15,72 em 6 meses, 19,8 8 ±15,45 em 12 meses, 26,62 ±13,84 em 18 meses e 31,87 ±14,94 em 24 meses. Os resultados não se mantiveram no acompanhamento de 48 meses. CONCLUSÃO: O IDET mostrou resultados satisfatórios como alternativa paliativa no controle da dor e da incapacidade funcional num período de 24 meses. Os bons resultados deterioraram-se com 48 meses e houve uma tendência de retorno à sintomatologia inicial.