[Chemonucleolysis with chymopapain in lumbar disk hernia. Randomized comparative study with operated patients]

We carried out a randomized comparison study with 69 patients, one group of whom had been operated on (41) and the other group treated by chemonucleolysis with chymopapain (25) in order to arrive at an objective picture of the latter recently much criticised method. 88% of the patients who were treated with chymopapain showed lasting success, and almost 90% of the operated patients are also in a good condition. In our opinion, complications can be avoided and the patient can be spared a surgical operation by the correct choice of patients and proper performance of the method in standby anaesthesia. This justifies the performance of chemonucleolysis with chymopapain.