RESULTS The results of this review confirm and help quantify the significant differences that existed in the terminology and all the areas of diagnosis and treatment of presumed discogenic pain .
Our findings show that suspected discogenic pain , despite its extensive affirmation in the literature and enormous re sources regularly devoted to it , currently lacks clear diagnostic criteria and uniform treatment or terminology
BACKGROUND CONTEXT Pain innate to intervertebral disc , often referred to as discogenic pain , is suspected by some authors to be the major source of chronic low back and neck pain .
Current management of suspected discogenic pain lacks st and ardized diagnosis , treatment , and terminology .
PURPOSE In an attempt to determine whether patterns existed that may facilitate st and ardization of care , we sought to analyze the terminologies used and the various modes of diagnosis and treatment of suspected discogenic pain .
Management of Chronic Discogenic Low Back Pain With a Thermal Intradiscal Catheter: A Preliminary Report
Study Design . A prospect i ve nonr and omized clinical trial . Objective . To determine the outcome in a group of patients with chronic , function-limiting low back pain who met the criteria for interbody fusion surgery , but were instead treated with an intradiscal thermal catheter ( SpineCath , Oratec Interventions , Inc. , Menlo Park , CA ) . Summary of Background Data . This study represents the first reported trial of treatment for chronic discogenic low back pain with a novel thermal intradiscal catheter . Methods . The authors evaluated 25 consecutive patients . The minimum duration of nonoperative care with the authors was 6 months . The visual analog pain scores , sitting tolerance times , and SF-36 summary scores were tabulated . Results . The mean follow-up period was 7 months , and the mean duration of symptoms 58.5 months . Of the 25 patients , 20 ( 80 % ) reported a reduction of at least 2 points in visual analog pain scores , and 18 ( 72 % ) reported an improvement in sitting tolerance as well as reduction or discontinuance of analgesic medication . Visual analog pain scores improved by a mean reduction of 3.74 , a 51 % change ( P = 0.0001 ) . On the SF-36 physical function subscale , 72 % of the patients improved by a mean increase of 15 points ( P = 0.001 ) , a mean change of 38 % , and by a mean increase of 14 points on the bodily pain subscale ( P = 0.004 ) , a mean change of 48 % . Conclusions . A statistically significant improvement in functional outcome was obtained in patients with chronic discogenic low back pain treated thermally by the SpineCath
RESULTS The results of this review confirm and help quantify the significant differences that existed in the terminology and all the areas of diagnosis and treatment of presumed discogenic pain .
Our findings show that suspected discogenic pain , despite its extensive affirmation in the literature and enormous re sources regularly devoted to it , currently lacks clear diagnostic criteria and uniform treatment or terminology
BACKGROUND CONTEXT Pain innate to intervertebral disc , often referred to as discogenic pain , is suspected by some authors to be the major source of chronic low back and neck pain .
Current management of suspected discogenic pain lacks st and ardized diagnosis , treatment , and terminology .
PURPOSE In an attempt to determine whether patterns existed that may facilitate st and ardization of care , we sought to analyze the terminologies used and the various modes of diagnosis and treatment of suspected discogenic pain .