Clinical study of discectomy combined with K-rod dynamic internal fixation for lumbar disc protrusion

Objective To evaluate the short-term results of discectomy combined with K-rod dynamic internal fixation for lumbar disc protrusion.Methods Between September 2010 and November 2011,36 cases of single segment lumbar disc protrusion were randomly surgically treated by discectomy combined with K-rod dynamic internal fixation(16 cases,group A) and single discectomy(20 cases,group B),respectively.The preoperative and 1 year postoperative functional evaluation were graded with ODI and VAS scoring system.The height,range of motion and MRI T1 value of the intervertebral disc and adjacent segments intervertebral(upper and lower segments) discs were measured as well.Statistical analyses included mean values,95% confidence intervals.Results The back and leg pain VAS scores and ODI decreased significantly after operation(P 0.01),the differences in the height,range of motion and MRI T1 value of the adjacent segments intervertebral discs were not significant(P 0.05) between group A and group B.Compared with those before operation,the postoperative height increased significantly(P 0.05),the range of motion declined significantly(P 0.05) and MRI T1 value increased significantly(P 0.05) at the operative intervertebral disc in group A,and those were not significant(P 0.05) in group B.Conclusion Discectomy combined with K-rod dynamic internal fixation could achieve satisfactory clinical and radiographic results for the lumbar disc protrusion,could not accelerate the degeneration of the adjacent segments and maybe could help the disc repairing process in short-term.