Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Advanced Concepts in Lumbar Degenerative Disk Disease pp 289–298Cite as

The Decision to Operate: Advanced Concepts

  • Chapter

  • 2096 Accesses

Abstract

Low back pain and degenerative disk disease remain vexing problems affecting many patients. The art of patient selection for surgical candidates remains challenging as well. A thorough history and physical examination, meticulous review of diagnostic imaging, and the judicious use of pain management techniques for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes are the essential elements of a reliable protocol in the management of this patient population.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Waddell G. Low back pain: a twentieth-century enigma. Spine. 1996;21(24):2820–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Frymoyer JW, Montgomery DM. Diagnosis and treatment of discogenic low back pain. Orthop Clin North Am. 1991;22(2):263–71.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Boden SD, Davis DO, Dina TS, Patronas NJ, Wiesel SW. Abnormal magnetic-resonance scans of the lumbar spine in asymptomatic subjects. A prospective investigation. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1990;72(3):403–8.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Hanley Jr EN, Levy JA. Surgical treatment of isthmic lumbosacral spondylolisthesis. Spine. 1989;22(24):2959–67.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Waddell G, McCulloch JA, Kummel E, Venner RM. Nonorganic physical signs in low-back pain. Spine. 1980;5:117–25.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Parker LM, Murrell SE, Boden SD, Horton WC. The outcome of posterolateral fusion in highly selected patients with discogenic back pain. Spine. 1996;21(16):1909–16.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Moon MS. The outcome of posterolateral fusion in highly selected patients with discogenic low back pain. Spine. 1997;22(12):1419–20.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Carragee EJ, Alamin TF, Miller JL, Carragee JM. Discographic, MRI and psychosocial determinants of low back pain disability and remission: a prospective study in subjects with benign persistent back pain. Spine J. 2005;5(1):24–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Burton AK, Tillotson KM, Main CJ, Hollis S. Psychosocial predictors of outcome in acute and subchronic low back trouble. Spine. 1995;20(6):722–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Bieliauskas LA, Graziano GP, Kullgren K, Roper BL. Failed back surgery and Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory (MMPI) profiles. J Clin Psychol Med Settings. 1994;1(2):1068–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Hammouri QM, Haims AH, Simpson AK, Alqaqa A, Grauer JN. The utility of dynamic flexion-extension radiographs in the initial evaluation of the degenerative lumbar spine. Spine. 2007;32(21):2361–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Carragee EJ, Barcohana B, Alamin T, van den Haak E. Prospective controlled study of the development of lower back pain in previously asymptomatic subjects undergoing experimental discography. Spine. 2004;29(10):1112–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Carragee EJ, Alamin TF, Carragee JM. Low-pressure positive discography in subjects asymptomatic of significant low back pain illness. Spine. 2006;31(5):505–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Carragee EJ, Lincoln T, Palmar VS, Alamin T. A gold standard evaluation of the “discogenic pain” diagnosis as determined by provocative discography. Spine. 2006;31(18):2115–23.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Carragee EJ, Don AS, Hurwitz EL, Cuellar JM, Carrino JA, Herzog R. ISSLS prize winner: does discography cause accelerated progression of degeneration changes in the lumbar disc: a ten-year matched cohort study. Spine. 2009;34(21):2338–45.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Gruber HE, Rhyne 3rd AL, Hansen KJ, Phillips RC, Hoelscher GL, Ingram JA, Norton HJ, Hanley EN, Hanley Jr EN. Deleterious effects of discography radiocontrast solution on human annulus cell in vitro: changes in cell viability, proliferation, and apoptosis in exposed cells. Spine J. 2012;12(4):329–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Eder C, Pinsger A, Schildboeck S, Falkner E, Becker P, Ogon M. The influence of intradiscal medication on nucleus pulposus cells. Spine J. 2013;13:1556–62. S1529-943000316-1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Sehgal N, Dunbar EE, Shah RV, Colson J. Systematic review of diagnostic utility of facet (zygapophysial) joint injections in chronic spinal pain: an update. Pain Physician. 2007;10(1):213–28.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Manchikanti L, Singh V, Falco FJ, Cash KA, Pampati V. Evaluation of lumbar facet joint nerve blocks in managing chronic low back pain: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial with a 2-year follow-up. Int J Med Sci. 2010;7(3):124–35.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Datta S, Lee M, Falco FJ, Bryce DA, Hayek SM. Systematic assessment of diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic utility of lumbar facet joint interventions. Pain Physician. 2009;12(2):437–60.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Cohen SP, Hurley RW. The ability of diagnostic spinal injections to predict surgical outcomes. Anesth Analg. 2007;105(6):1756–75.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Esses SI, Botsford DJ, Kostuik JP. The role of external spinal skeletal fixation in the assessment of low-back disorders. Spine. 1989;14(6):594–601.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Kumar K, Taylor RS, Jacques L. Spinal cord stimulation versus conventional medical management for neuropathic pain: a multicentre randomised controlled trial in patients with failed back surgery syndrome. Pain. 2007;132:179–88.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. North RB, Kidd DH, Farrokhi F, Piantadosi SA. Spinal cord stimulation versus repeated lumbosacral spine surgery for chronic pain: a randomized, controlled trial. Neurosurgery. 2005;56:98–106.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Simpson EL, Duenas A, Holmes MW, Papaioannou D, Chilcott J. Spinal cord stimulation for chronic pain of neuropathic or ischaemic origin: systematic review and economic evaluation. Health Technol Assess. 2009;13(17):1–154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Taylor RS, Desai MJ, Rigoard P, Taylor RJ. Predictors of pain relief following spinal cord stimulation in chronic back and leg pain and failed back surgery syndrome: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis. Pain Pract. 2013. doi:10.1111/papr.12095 [Epub].

    Google Scholar 

  27. Fritzell P, Hagg O, Wessberg P, Nordwall A, Group SLSS. 2001 Volvo award winner in clinical studies: lumbar fusion versus nonsurgical treatment for chronic low back pain: a multicenter randomized controlled trial from the Swedish Lumbar Spine Study Group. Spine. 2001;26:2521–32.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Brox JI, Sorensen R, Friis A, et al. Randomized clinical trial of lumbar instrumented fusion and cognitive intervention and exercises in patients with chronic low back pain and disc degeneration. Spine. 2003;28:1913–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Fairbank J, Frost H, Wilson-MacDonald J, Yu LM, Barker K, Collins R. Randomised controlled trial to compare surgical stabilisation of the lumbar spine with an intensive rehabilitation programme for patients with chronic low back pain: the MRC spine stabilisation trial. BMJ. 2005;330(7502):1233.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Mirza SK, Deyo RA. Systematic review of randomized trials comparing lumbar fusion surgery to nonoperative care for treatment of chronic back pain. Spine. 2007;32(7):816–23.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Mannion AF, Brox JL, Fairbank JC. Comparison of spinal fusion and nonoperative treatment in patients with chronic low back pain: long-term follow-up of three randomized controlled trials. Spine J. 2013;13(11):1438–48.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Freeman BJ, Davenport J. Total disc replacement in the lumbar spine: a systematic review of the literature. Eur Spine J. 2006;15(S3):S439–47.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Delamarter RB, Bae HW, Pradhan BB. Clinical results of ProDisc-II lumbar total disc replacement: report from the United States clinical trial. Orthop Clin North Am. 2005;36(3):301–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Blumenthal S, McAfee PC, Guyer RD, et al. A prospective, randomized, multicenter Food and Drug Administration investigational device exemptions study of lumbar total disc replacement with the CHARITE artificial disc versus lumbar fusion: part I: evaluation of clinical outcomes. Spine. 2005;30(14):1565–75.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Huang RC, Lim MR, Girardi FP, Cammisa Jr FP. The prevalence of contraindications to total disc replacement in a cohort of lumbar surgical patients. Spine. 2004;29(22):2538–41.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Jaeschke R, Singer J, Guyatt GH. Measurement of health status. Ascertaining the minimal clinically important difference. Control Clin Trials. 1989;10:407–15.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Suarez-Almazor ME, Kendall C, Johnson JA, Skeith K, Vincent D. Use of health status measures in patients with low back pain in clinical settings: comparison of specific, generic and preference-based instruments. Rheumatology. 2000;39:783–90.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Taylor SJ, Taylor AE, Foy MA, Fogg AJ. Responsiveness of common outcome measures for patients with low back pain. Spine. 1999;24:1805–12.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Copay AG, Glassman SD, Subach BR, Berven S, Schuler TC, Carreon LY. The minimum clinically important difference in lumbar spine surgery patients: a choice of methods using the Oswestry disability index, medical outcomes study questionnaire short form 36, and pain scales. Spine J. 2008;8(6):968–74.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Zigler J, Delamarter R, Spivak JM, Linovitz RJ, et al. Results of the prospective, randomized, multicenter Food and Drug Administration investigational device exemption study of the ProDisc-L total disc replacement versus circumferential fusion for the treatment of 1-level degenerative disc disease. Spine. 2007;32(11):1155–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Orthopedics, Albany Medical College, 1367 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY, 12206, USA

    James P. Lawrence MD, MBA

  2. Department of Orthopedics, Thomas Jefferson University and Hospitals, 925 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA

    Todd J. Albert MD

Authors
  1. James P. Lawrence MD, MBA
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Todd J. Albert MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to James P. Lawrence MD, MBA .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Neurological and Spine Surgery, Hospital Samaritano, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    João Luiz Pinheiro-Franco

  2. Rothman Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Alexander R. Vaccaro

  3. Cleveland Clinic Neurological Surgery, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

    Edward C. Benzel

  4. Schön Klinik München Harlaching FG Wirbelsäulenchirurgie, München, Germany

    H. Michael Mayer

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Lawrence, J.P., Albert, T.J. (2016). The Decision to Operate: Advanced Concepts. In: Pinheiro-Franco, J., Vaccaro, A., Benzel, E., Mayer, H. (eds) Advanced Concepts in Lumbar Degenerative Disk Disease. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-47756-4_20

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-47756-4_20

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-47755-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-47756-4

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation