[Chemonucleolysis--with extended indications. 4 years clinical experience]

A follow-up of 1289 chemonucleolyses performed on 1141 patients and a questionnaire answered by 80% of these patients shows that some conditions hitherto held to be contraindications can be questioned: chemonucleolysis performed in cases of disk herniations with spinal stenosis can produce very good results. A second chemonucleolysis with chymopapain at a later date is possible. In patients who have previously undergone surgery on the same disk, chemonucleolysis offers good chances of improvement in the event of a reherniation.