Patient Selection Criteria |
Patient data and medical history |
Age |
20-40 |
20-40 |
30-50 |
40- >60 (precondition >50 y: sclerosis of endplates) |
Back pain |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Leg pain |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes, no > 50 y |
Duration of non-surgical treatment |
20-30 y: 9 months 30-40 y: 6 months |
20-30 y: 9 months 30-40 y: 6 months |
30-40 y: 6 months 40-50 y: 5 months |
40-50 yrs: 5 months 50-60 yrs: 4 months >60: 3 months |
Prior surgery |
no (besides nucleotomy/discectomy without destabilizing bone resection) |
no (besides nucleotomy/discecomy without destabilizing bone resection) |
no (besides nucleotomy/discectomy without destabilizing bone resection) |
yes (without facet-resection or laminectomy) |
Pain and disability
|
VAS |
> 50/100 |
> 50/100 |
> 40/100 |
> 40/100 |
ODI |
>macr; 40/100 |
>macr; 40/100 |
>macr; 40/100 |
>macr; 40/100 |
Clinical findings
|
No severe nerve stretching findings |
no severe nerve stretching findings |
no severe nerve stretching findings |
no severe nerve stretching findings |
No severe nerve stretching findings |
Radiographic findings
|
Maximal reduced disc height compared to upper healthy disc |
1/2 |
1/2 |
1/2 |
2/3 |
Osteochondrosis |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Degenerative spondylolisthesis |
no |
no |
no |
Yes< 3mm |
Isthmic spondylolisthesis |
no |
no |
no |
no |
Degenerative scoliosis |
no |
no |
minimal |
yes |
Bony stenosis of spinal canal |
no |
no |
no |
no |
Facet arthritis grades85
|
up to grade II |
up to grade II |
up to grade II |
up to grade III |
Facetectomy |
no |
no |
no |
no |
MRI
|
Nucleus pulposus prolapse at disc level with nerve root irritation (= anterior discectomy possible) |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Modic changes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Invasive diagnostic procedures
|
Facet joint injection |
no reduced pain |
no reduced pain |
no reduced pain |
< 50% reduced pain |
Specific pain at discography |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Reduced leg pain at periradicular injection |
+/- |
+/- |
+/- |
+/- |
Bone quality
|
DEXA |
T > -1.0 |
T > -1.0 |
T > -1.0 |
T > -1.0 |
Psychosocial / psychological factors
|
Result of test(s) |
negative |
negative |
negative |
negative |
Surgical experience
|
Possible number of levels |
1 |
1-2 |
1-2 |
> 2 |