Percutaneous laser disc decompression (PLDD): twelve years' experience with 752 procedures in 518 patients

Area of Science:

• Minimally invasive spine procedures
• Interventional pain management
• Spinal surgery innovations

Background:

• Herniated intervertebral discs cause significant patient morbidity.
• Traditional treatments may involve invasive surgery with longer recovery periods.
• Percutaneous laser disc decompression (PLDD) offers a less invasive alternative.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of PLDD for treating herniated discs.
• To assess the long-term outcomes of PLDD in a large patient cohort.
• To establish PLDD as a viable treatment option for symptomatic disc herniation.

Main Methods:

• A 12-year nonrandomized, nonblinded study involving 518 patients.
• PLDD was the sole treatment modality for symptomatic, image-documented herniated discs.
• Procedure involved needle insertion into the nucleus pulposus for laser vaporization under local anesthesia and fluoroscopic guidance.

Main Results:

• Treatment of 752 intervertebral discs across 518 patients.
• Overall success rates ranged from 75% to 89%.
• Complication rate was less than 1%.

Conclusions:

• PLDD is a safe and effective minimally invasive treatment for herniated discs.
• The procedure is performed in an outpatient setting, avoiding general anesthesia, scarring, and spinal instability.
• PLDD reduces rehabilitation time and is repeatable, without precluding future open surgery if necessary.