[Diskography findings and results of percutaneous laser disk decompression (PLDD)].

AIM: The aim of our study was to find a correlation between discographic findings and the clinical outcome of patients treated by PLDD.

METHOD: At our clinic a total of 444 patients was treated by PLDD from 1992 until 1998. Of these, 100 patients were included into this study by chance. All patients had discography. We analysed the discographic results and correlated them with the objective and subjective outcome after PLDD.

RESULTS: Best clinical results were found in the group of discographic stages 7 and 8 according to Krämer. In cases of epidural leak of contrast medium and in cases of total degeneration, the clinical results were significantly poor (stages 6 and 9).

CONCLUSION: In cases of ruptured posterior longitudinal ligament, i.e., epidural leak of contrast medium in discography, PLDD is not indicated. The indication for an operation first of all depends on the clinical symptoms but the success of the operation depends on the discographic findings.