The treatment of lumbar spinal pain syndromes diagnosed by discography. Lumbar arthrodesis

This retrospective review of patients whose discogenic pain syndromes were treated by lumbar arthrodesis was designed to examine the clinical efficacy of this diagnostic modality and analyze possible confounding variables. Clinical outcome was examined with respect to status of the arthrodesis, disc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Spine (Philadelphia, Pa. 1976) Pa. 1976), 1994-04, Vol.19 (7), p.792-800
Main Authors: Wetzel, F T, LaRocca, S H, Lowery, G L, Aprill, C N
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Female
Humans
Intervertebral Disc - diagnostic imaging
Intervertebral Disc Displacement - diagnostic imaging
Intervertebral Disc Displacement - epidemiology
Intervertebral Disc Displacement - surgery
Low Back Pain - etiology
Lumbar Vertebrae - diagnostic imaging
Lumbar Vertebrae - surgery
Male
Retrospective Studies
Smoking - epidemiology
Spinal Fusion - methods
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Treatment Outcome
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Summary:This retrospective review of patients whose discogenic pain syndromes were treated by lumbar arthrodesis was designed to examine the clinical efficacy of this diagnostic modality and analyze possible confounding variables. Clinical outcome was examined with respect to status of the arthrodesis, discographic diagnosis, and demographic variables. Discography continues to be a controversial diagnostic technique for spinal pain syndromes. The morphologic information provided by discography is well known. However, disagreement exists concerning the clinical utility of the pain provoked by this modality. Forty-eight patients were included in this study. In all patients, the chief complaint was low back pain. In all patients, the definitive diagnostic technique was lumbar discography followed by computerized tomographic scanning. All patients underwent lumbar arthrodesis. Data were collected in four categories: 1) demographic characteristics, 2) physical findings, 3) results of diagnostic studies, and 4) characteristics of surgical procedures. Data from these categories were studied with respect to clinical rating and status of the arthrodesis. Overall, 46% were judged to have a satisfactory clinical outcome at final follow-up. Forty-eight percent were judged to have a solid arthrodesis. Based on the results of this study, it appears that discogenic pain syndromes can be treated by arthrodesis.
ISSN:0362-2436
1528-1159
DOI:10.1097/00007632-199404000-00012