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Percutaneous laser disc decompression noninferior to surgery alone for lumbar disc herniation
By 1 year postoperatively, percutaneous laser disc decompression followed by surgery, if necessary, did not have inferior results when compared with surgery alone for patients with back and leg pain due to sciatica, according to study data.
Researchers conducted a randomized, prospective trial with a noninferiority design of 115 patients with sciatica from a disc herniation smaller than one-third of the spinal canal. Fifty-seven patients were randomly assigned to undergo percutaneous laser disc decompression (PLDD) and 58 were randomly assigned to undergo conventional surgery only.
The Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) for sciatica, VAS for back and leg pain, and patient-perceived recovery were the study’s primary outcomes.
Results showed PLDD had noninferiority at 8 weeks and 52 weeks compared with conventional surgery. However, the researchers also observed a quicker speed of recovery and a significantly smaller number of reoperations within the conventional surgery group (38% vs. 16%).
Overall, results of the RDQ from week 1 to week 52 demonstrated no statistically significant differences between the two patient groups, according to the researchers. – by Robert Linnehan
Disclosures: Brouwer reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.