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Painful Schmorl's nodes treated by discography and discoblock
Junhui Liu1, Lu Hao1, Xuyang Zhang1
1Department of Orthopaedics, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, No. 3, Qingchun Road East, Hangzhou, 310016, People's Republic of China.
Summary
Discography and discoblock effectively treat low back pain (LBP) from painful Schmorl
Area of Science:
- Spine surgery
- Pain management
- Radiology
Background:
- Low back pain (LBP) is a common ailment.
- Schmorl's nodes (SNs) can be a source of LBP.
- Conservative treatments for SN-related LBP are often insufficient.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of discography and discoblock for LBP caused by painful Schmorl's nodes.
- To determine if these procedures offer a viable treatment option for refractory cases.
Main Methods:
- 46 patients with suspected SN-related LBP underwent provocation discography.
- Patients with confirmed painful SNs received discoblock treatment.
- Pain levels (VAS) and disability (ODI) were assessed pre- and post-procedure, with MRI follow-up.
Main Results:
- Discography identified painful SNs in 71.7% of tested discs.
- 89.2% of patients receiving discoblock reported LBP improvement, with no worsening symptoms.
- Significant reductions in VAS and ODI scores were observed post-discoblock, remaining stable at 12 months.
Conclusions:
- Discography and discoblock are effective treatments for painful Schmorl's nodes causing LBP.
- These interventions should be considered for patients with SN-related LBP refractory to conservative therapies.