Evaluation of Disc-FX versus L'DISQ for percutaneous disc decompression: pilot comparative study using the minimal...

Area of Science:

• Minimally invasive spine procedures
• Interventional pain management
• Spinal surgery outcomes

Background:

• Lumbar disc herniation frequently causes debilitating radicular pain and reduced quality of life (QOL).
• Disc-FX and L'DISQ are minimally invasive percutaneous disc decompression devices.
• Comparative efficacy data between Disc-FX and L'DISQ is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of Disc-FX and L'DISQ for treating lumbar disc herniation.
• To evaluate short-term pain reduction and quality of life improvements.
• To assess the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) attainment for both devices.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of adult patients with single-level lumbar disc herniation treated between October 2018 and August 2023.
• Inclusion criteria included radicular pain confirmed by MRI and either positive provocative discography or pain relief after intradiscal injection.
• Pain intensity (Numerical Rating Scale [NRS]) and QOL (EuroQOL 5-Dimension 5-Levels [EQ-5D-5L]) were assessed at baseline and 6 months post-procedure.

Main Results:

• Forty-two patients were analyzed (Disc-FX: n=16; L'DISQ: n=26).
• Both devices demonstrated significant NRS pain score reduction at 6 months, with no statistically significant difference between groups (mean difference 1.32 points).
• Disc-FX showed a trend towards greater QOL improvement (EQ-5D-5L) and higher MCID attainment, though these findings are from a small cohort and require cautious interpretation.

Conclusions:

• Disc-FX and L'DISQ demonstrate comparable short-term pain relief outcomes in this pilot study.
• Potential quality of life benefits observed with Disc-FX warrant further investigation in larger, prospective studies.
• Adequately powered comparative studies are necessary to confirm the efficacy and QOL differences between these minimally invasive disc decompression devices.