M. Spaic et al., DREZ surgery on conus medullaris (after failed implantation of vascular omental graft) for treating chronic pain due to spine (gunshot) injuries, ACT NEUROCH, 141(12), 1999, pp. 1309-1312
The results of DREZlesioning procedure used for the treatment of chronic in
tractable pain due to deafferentation caused by gunshot injuries at the tho
racolumbar (T10-L1) spine level are reported in six patients
The specificity of these cases arises from the fact that all the patients u
nderwent, after decompressive laminectomy, an implantation of vascularized
omental graft on the injured cord segments, 4-17 months after injury. Becau
se of the failure of this method, which did nor improve spinal function nor
hinder the development of pain, surgery in the DREZ was performed 2-5 year
s after implantation. The results of the microsurgical DREZotomy procedure
in those patients, 7-12 months after the surgery were: 4 patients with comp
lete pain relief and 2 patients with pain relieved of 80%. All the patients
with well-confined segmental pain were completely cured.