[Experiences with intradisk injection treatment with chymopapain and collagenase]

In a comparative study 71 patients were treated by intradiscal injection of collagenase and 93 patients by chymopapain injections. Indication, technique of injection and post-injection treatment were based on uniform criteria and followed standardised procedure. In practically all cases, monosegmental injections were performed almost exclusively in the last two discs of the lumbar vertebral column; in cases where the x-ray and clinical findings were unequivocal, the injections were performed at one level of the lumbar vertebral column. After collagenase injection, patients suffered more from low back pain, needed higher doses of strong analgesics, and had a longer hospital stay. Results after one year were almost equal with success rates of 75% (chymopapain) and 72% (collagenase). In each group about three-quarters of the patients with unsatisfactory results were operated on.