Intradiscal pressure-volume response: a methodological contribution to chemonucleolysis. Preliminary results

Area of Science:

• Spine Surgery
• Diagnostic Methods
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Accurate diagnosis of lumbar disc degeneration is crucial for effective chemonucleolysis.
• Current methods may involve contrast agents that can interfere with treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel, minimally invasive method for pre-chemonucleolysis lumbar disc degeneration verification.
• To assess the efficacy of intradiscal pressure changes following saline injection.

Main Methods:

• A rapid 0.3-ml saline bolus injection into the lumbar disc center.
• Continuous monitoring of intradiscal pressure changes post-injection.
• Analysis of pressure fall within 2 minutes to determine degeneration probability.

Main Results:

• A significant pressure drop below 600 mm Hg within 2 minutes strongly correlates with disc degeneration (p < 0.001).
• The method avoids additional contrast medium injections.
• The technique is time-efficient and reduces overall fluid volume during the procedure.

Conclusions:

• The presented saline injection test offers a reliable and advantageous method for pre-chemonucleolysis lumbar disc degeneration assessment.
• This approach enhances diagnostic accuracy and procedural efficiency in spine interventions.