Objective To investigate diagnosis and treatment of farlateral lumbar disc herniations. Methods The clinical data from 16 patients with far-lateral lumbar disc herniations from January 1999 to January 2004 were retrospectively analyzed. The CT scanning showed that the shadow density of the CT scanning values in the corresponding intra-foramen, extraforamen and all-foramen was as the same as that of the intervertebral disc. Of the 16 patients, 10 were operated on by the interlaminar approach, 3 were operatedon by the laterolaminar approach, 3 were operated on by the combined interlaminal and laterolaminal approach.Results According to the follow-up for 6 monthsto 5 years, excellent results were obtained in 8 patients, good results in 5, and fair results in 3. The postoperative CT examination showed that the space occupying in the foramen or extraforamen of the corresponding segment vanished and the nerve root compression of the identical segment also vanished. Conclusion The lamellar highresolution CT is a better way to diagnose lumbar disc herniation. The operative approach should be chosen according to the position of the intervertebral disc protrusion, pathologic type, and presence or absence of the lesions in the vertebral canal.
Objective To determine the contents of matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3) and interleukin 1 (IL-1) in the tissues of the lumbar disc herniation and to investigate their roles in the pathogenesis. Methods The tissues of the herniated lumbar disc were obtained from 30 patients undergoing surgery for persistent radiculopathy from June 2003 to December 2004 and at the same time these samples were divided into the following three experimentalgroups: the bulge group (n=11), the protrusion group (n=9), and the prolapsus group (n=10)，14 males, 16 females, aged 33.64 years. As the control group, 9 lumbar disc specimens were harvested from 9 patients(4 males, 5 females, aged 21-58 years) suffering from bursting fracture of the lumbar spine. The specimens were analyzed by the ELISA method for the contents of MMP-3 and IL-1. Results The contents of MMP-3(14.25±1.32, 19.89±2.97,20.69±2.18 ng/ml in the bulge group, protrusion group and prolapsus group, separately) and IL-1(8.52±0.22， 11.88±0.52，11.90±0.73 pg/ml in the bulge group, protrusion group and prolapsus group, separately) in the experimental groups were significantly higher than those in the control group. The contents of MMP-3 and IL-1 in the protrusion group were not significantly higher than those in the prolapsus group, but they were significantly higher than those in the bulge group(P＜0.01). The contents of MMP-3 had a significant relationship with the contents of IL-1 in the three experimental groups and the control group(P＜0.01). Conclusion The result demonstrates that the tissues of the lumbar disc herniation can produce both MMP-3 and IL-1, which may have an unknown but important relationship with each other.
ObjectiveTo compare the early efficacy between Quadrant channel and traditional method in treating lumbar disc herniation. MethodBetween July 2010 and December 2012, 60 patients with lumbar disc herniation were randomly divided into two groups with 30 in each. Quadrant channel and traditional method were used respectively to do the same one single segmental pedicle screw fixation with single pieces of cage bone grafting fusion and internal fixation. Then, we compared the two groups in incision length, operative time, blood loss, incision healing time and postoperative incidence of low back pain between the two groups of patients. ResultsThere were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of operation time, blood loss, and recent curative effect (P>0.05), while Quadrant channel was superior in small skin incision, reduced incidence of low back pain, and shorter postoperative incision healing time (P<0.05). ConclusionsTreatment of lumbar disc herniation using Quadrant channel is minimally invasive with less complications. Mid-and long-term efficacy remains to be further analyzed.
Objective To explore the correlation between postoperative kinesiophobia and rehabilitation outcome in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Methods This study was a cross-sectional survey. The patients who underwent lumbar discectomy due to LDH in West China Hospital of Sichuan University between June and October 2019 were included consecutively. According to the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK) score, patients were divided into two groups: the kinesiophobia group and the non-kinesiophobia group. The patients’ scores of the TSK, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Scores (JOA) at different time points were collected. The relationship between postoperative kinesiophobia, pain, and lumbar function in patients was analyzed. Results A total of 201 patients were included. Among them, there were 128 cases in the kinesiophobia group and 73 cases in the non-kinesiophobia group. The incidence of kinesiophobia was 63.68%. Pearson correlation test analysis showed that TSK score was positively correlated with VAS score (r=0.218, P<0.01) and ODI score (r=0.263, P<0.01) at 24 h after surgery. At one month after surgery, there was a positive correlation with VAS score (r=0.296, P<0.01) and a negative correlation with JOA score (r=−0.182, P<0.05). The results of multiple linear regression showed that postoperative age, pain, lumbar function, and postoperative kinesiophobia were interrelated (P<0.05). Conclusions Patients with LDH had a higher incidence of kinesiophobia 24 h after surgery. Postoperative kinesiophobia was correlated with the recovery outcome of patients with LDH.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the short-term effectiveness of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) in treatment of buttock pain associated with lumbar disc herniation.MethodsBetween June 2015 and May 2016, 36 patients with buttock pain associated with lumbar disc herniation were treated with PELD. Of 36 cases, 26 were male and 10 were female, aged from 18 to 76 years (mean, 35.6 years). The disease duration ranged from 3 months to 10 years (mean, 14 months). The location of the pain was buttock in 2 cases, buttock and thigh in 6 cases, buttock and the ipsilateral lower extremity in 28 cases. Thirty-four patients had single-level lumbar disc herniation, and the involved segments were L4, 5 in 15 cases and L5, S1 in 19 cases; 2 cases had lumbar disc herniation at both L4, 5 and L5, S1. The preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score of buttock pain was 6.1±1.3. VAS score was used to evaluate the degree of buttock pain at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and last follow-up postoperatively. The clinical outcome was assessed by the modified MacNab criteria at last follow-up.ResultsAll patients were successfully operated and the operation time was 27-91 minutes (mean, 51 minutes). There was no nerve root injury, dural tear, hematoma formation, or other serious complications. The hospitalization time was 3-8 days (mean, 5.3 days). All incisions healed well and no infection occurred. Patients were followed up 12-24 months (median, 16 months). MRI examination results showed that the dural sac and nerve root compression were sufficiently relieved at 3 months after operation. Patients obtained pain relief after operation. The postoperative VAS scores of buttock pain at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and last follow-up were 1.1±0.6, 0.9±0.3, 1.0±0.3, and 0.9±0.4 respectively, showing significant differences when compared with preoperative VAS scores (P<0.05); there was no significant difference in VAS score between the different time points after operation (P>0.05). At last follow-up, according to the modifed MacNab criteria, the results were excellent in 27 cases, good in 9 cases, and fair in 2 cases, and the excellent and good rate was 94.4%.ConclusionPELD can achieve satisfactory short-term results in the treatment of buttock pain associated with lumbar disc herniation and it is a safe and effective minimally invasive surgical technique.
ObjectiveTo summarize the research progress of resorption of lumbar disc herniation (RLDH). Methods The literature on RLDH at home and abroad in recent years was reviewed to summarize its influencing factors, pathogenesis, imaging findings, and predictive effect, as well as its influence on the treatment selection of lumbar disc herniation (LDH). ResultsThe main mechanism of RLDH is the combined effect of inflammatory response and neovascularization. Age, smoking, body mass index, and clinical manifestations are the influencing factors. Studies have shown that the annular enhancement around the nucleus pulposus on enhanced MRI images is the characteristic imaging manifestation of RLDH, which is a predictor of whether RLDH occurs. In the treatment of LDH, cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors may have a negative impact on RLDH. ConclusionThe occurrence of RLDH suggests that strict conservative treatment is the first choice for LDH treatment, but surgery is still an important treatment method when the patient’s symptoms and imaging symptoms don’t significantly improved after conservative treatment.
Objective To comprehensively investigate the incidence of resorption of lumbar disc herniation, and provide reference data for clinical decision-making. Methods Seven electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wangfang data and Chongqing VIP database) were searched for relevant studies that might have reported morphologic changes in lumbar disc herniation when reporting the follow-up results of patients with lumbar disc herniation treated non-surgically from inception to March, 2020. Articles were screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the total number of patients, number of patients with resorption, and other important data were extracted for analysis. Random effect models were used for meta-analysis, and subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, meta-regression analysis, and Egger’s test were performed. Results A total of 15712 articles were identified from these databases, and 48 were eligible for analysis. A total of 2880 non-surgically treated patients with lumbar disc herniation were included in the meta-analysis, 1740 of whom presented resorption. Meta-analysis revealed that the incidence of resorption was 0.60 [95% confidence interval (CI) (0.46, 0.72)]. In subgroup analyses, studies that quantitatively measured the resorption of lumbar disc herniation yielded statistically higher pooled incidence [0.73, 95%CI (0.60, 0.85)] than those that used qualitative methods [0.51, 95%CI (0.34, 0.69)] (P=0.0252). The pooled incidence gradually increased in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) [0.50, 95%CI (0.15, 0.85)], non-RCT prospective studies [0.59, 95%CI (0.48, 0.70)] and retrospective studies [0.69, 95%CI (0.36, 0.95)], but the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.7523). The pooled incidence varied from 0.58 [95%CI (0.54, 0.71)] to 0.62 [95%CI (0.49, 0.74)] after the sequential omission of each single study. There was no significant change in the pooled incidence [0.62, 95%CI (0.43, 0.79)] when only low-risk RCTs and high-quality non-RCT studies were included, comparing with original meta-analysis results. Meta-regression showed that measurements partially caused heterogeneity (R2=15.34%, P=0.0858). Egger’s test suggested that there was no publication bias (P=0.4622). Conclusions According to current research, there is an overall incidence of resorption of 60% [95%CI (46%, 72%)] among non-surgically treated patients with lumbar disc herniation. The probability of resorption should be fully considered before making a decision on surgery.
Lumbar disc herniation is one of the most common causes of low back and leg pain in clinic. There are a lot of non-surgical therapeutic methods widely used in clinic for treating lumbar disc herniation. The author assessed the available systematic reviews of non-surgical methods in treating lumbar disc herniation which had been published in these years, and finally a total of 13 systematic reviews were retrieved including 1 about conservative treatments, 8 Chinese medicine treatments, and 4 percutaneous treatments, such as chemonucleolysis and epidural steroid injection. The results showed that the conservative treatments included injections, traction, physical therapy, bed rest, manipulation, medication, and acupuncture. But no evidence was found to show that any of the above treatments was clearly superior to others including no treatment for patients with lumbar disc herniation. The outcomes from some reviews showed that Chinese medicine treatments were safer and comprehensive treatment of traditional Chinese medicine was relatively effective compared with single treatment. Electro-acupuncture, compared with conventional therapy (bed rest, waist protection, pelvic traction, manual or physical therapy) and oral medications as well, was safe and effective in alleviating pain and improving overall function. Chinese medicinal fumigation combined with traction was more effective than single treatment. Percutaneous treatment of chemonucleolysis had much better short-term effectiveness. Percutaneous epidural steroid injection also had certain effects. To summarize, Chinese medicine and percutaneous treatments may be effective in treating lumbar disc herniation. However, more clinical trials are needed, since current evidence is of low quality.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy of posterior approach discectomy with and without fusion in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation. Methods We searched MEDLINE (1950 to June 2007), OVID (1950 to April 2007), PUBMED, the China Biological Medicine Database (1978 to June 2007) and Wanfang Database (1981 to February 2007). We also handsearched several relevant journals for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-randomized controlled trials (quasi-RCTs) comparing posterior approach discectomy with and without fusion in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation. The quality of the included trials was assessed. The Cochrane Collaboration’s RevMan 4.2.8 software was used for statistical analysis. Results Nine eligible trials involving 1911 patients were included. The meta-analyses found no statistically significant differences between the two operative procedures in the incidence of postoperative leg pain [RR 0.94, 95%CI (0.69, 1.28)], the proportion of patients requiring re-operation [RR 0.77, 95% CI (0.57, 1.04)], the incidence of post-operative lumbar canal stenosis [RR 1.23, 95%CI (0.26, 5.86)], and the relapse rate at other intervertebral spaces [RR 1.05, 95%CI (0.49, 2.26)] (Pgt;0.05).There is statistically significant differences between the two group in the incidence of peri-operative complications [RR 1.46, 95%CI (1.06, 2.00)]. Discectomy plus fusion was superior to discectomy alone in incidence of postoperative back pain [RR 0.70, 95%CI (0.53, 0.94)], relapse rate at either intervertebral space [RR 0.30, 95%CI (0.18, 0.48)] and at the same intervertebral space [RR 0.12, 95%CI (0.04, 0.37)]. Conclusions Since all the included studies were controlled trials with a great potential for biases, high-quality, large-scale randomized controlled trials are required.
Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is one of the most important causes of back and leg pain, which seriously affects the quality of life of patients. As the first-line treatment for LDH, non-operative treatment can relieve 80% to 90% of symptoms among the patients with LDH. This guideline followed Guidelines for the Formulation/Revision of Clinical Treatment Guidelines in China (2022 edition) and WHO handbook for guideline development (2014 edition) to set up guideline working group. This guideline identified fourteen clinical questions through the literature review and clinical experts’ consensus. We drafted the recommendations after systematically searching and evaluating the evidence; delphi method was adopted for expert consensus on the preliminary recommendations, finally, 19 recommendations were made to guide non-operative treatments for LDH. This guideline can provide guidance for the clinical practice of Chinese and western orthopedics practitioners.