[Efficacy of percutaneous laser disc decompression for radiculalgia due to lumbar disc hernia (149 patients)]

To assess the efficacy of percutaneous laser disc decompression for patients with radicular pain due to lumbar disc hernia and to identify factors that may predict outcome.

The study included all patients treated with percutaneous laser disc decompression from May 2003 through May 2005 at Reims University Hospital and the Courlancy Clinic of Reims. Each patient had previous undergone at least six weeks of conventional medical treatment. The same technique, with either a laser diode or Nd: YAG, was used under endoscopic control and with neuroleptanalgesia. They were seen at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. The principal evaluation criteria were the course of radicular pain, return to work, and need for surgery.

We reexamined 149 patients 1 month after the procedure, 135 after 3 months, 102 after 6 months and 59 a year after the procedure. At a month after surgery, radicular pain had decreased by at least half, and sometimes even completely disappeared in 63.1% of patients at 1 month, 66.6% at 3 months, 73.5% at 6 months, and 83.1% at 12 months, while 24%, 50,4%, 61.2%, and 67.3%, respectively, had returned to work. No patient had serious complications. Finally, 45 of the 149 (30.2%) patients chose to have a traditional surgical procedure after percutaneous laser disc decompression.

Percutaneous laser disc decompression is effective, noninvasive and well tolerated for patients with radicular pain due to lumbar disc hernia.