THE TREATMENT OF LUMBAR SPINAL PAIN SYNDROMES DIAGNOSED BY DISCOGRAPHY - LUMBAR ARTHRODESIS

Study Design. This retrospective review of patients whose discogenic p ain syndromes were treated by lumbar arthrodesis was designed to exami ne the clinical efficacy of this diagnostic modality and analyze possi ble confounding variables. Objectives. Clinical outcome was examined w ith respect to status of the arthrodesis, discographic diagnosis, and demographic variables. Summary of Background Data. Discography continu es to be a controversial diagnostic technique for spinal pain syndrome s. The morphologic information provided by discography is well known. However, disagreement exists concerning the clinical utility of the pa in provoked by this modality. Methods. Forty-eight patients were inclu ded in this study. In all patients, the chief complaint was low back p ain. In all patients, the definitive diagnostic technique was lumbar d iscography followed by computerized tomographic scanning. All patients underwent lumbar arthrodesis. Data were collected in four categories: 1) demographic characteristics, 2) physical findings, 3) results of d iagnostic studies, and 4) characteristics of surgical procedures. Data from these categories were studied with respect to clinical rating an d status of the arthrodesis. Results. Overall, 46% were judged to have a satisfactory clinical outcome at final follow-up. Forty-eight perce nt were judged to have a solid arthrodesis. Conclusions. Based on the results of this study, it appears that discogenic pain syndromes can b e treated by arthrodesis.