A quantitative study of intervertebral disc morphologic changes following plasma-mediated percutaneous discectomy

Area of Science:

• Spine surgery
• Radiology
• Minimally invasive procedures

Background:

• Plasma-mediated percutaneous discectomy is a minimally invasive technique for disc herniation.
• Evaluating post-procedure anatomical changes via MRI is crucial for understanding treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively assess interval changes in disc morphology using MRI after plasma-mediated percutaneous discectomy.
• To correlate MRI findings with procedural outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of pre- and post-treatment MRIs from 15 patients.
• Two physicians electronically measured disc protrusion and height.
• Assessed gross anatomic changes including degeneration, herniation, HIZ, endplate changes, and enhancement.

Main Results:

• High interobserver reliability for disc height change (r=0.89) and good for protrusion size (r=0.51).
• Statistically significant mean interval reduction in disc height (0.48 mm) at treated levels.
• No significant difference in mean disc protrusion size pre- and post-treatment; observed varied gross anatomic changes.

Conclusions:

• Subtle interval anatomic changes may occur after plasma-mediated percutaneous discectomy.
• Further investigation is necessary to establish the clinical relevance of these MRI-detected changes.