Plasma Disc Decompression Useful in Low Back Pain Reduction

Participants were treated with ArthroCare’s Plasma Disc Decompression (PDD) products, developed by ArthroCare Corporation and reported experiencing reduced pain and better quality of life scores.

The controlled and randomized study enrolled 90 patients between the ages of 18 to 66 with low back pain associated with contained herniated discs. All of the patients had previously failed conservative care and epidural steroid injection.

Two groups were created, a PDD arm and an epidural steroid injection arm. The patients were placed in one of the groups and were later evaluated for pain reduction and quality of life over a two year period.

The results of the study demonstrated that the PDD arm patients experienced improvements. Among the patients in the PPD group, 56 percent did not have a subsequent secondary procedure within a two-year follow up period. Only 28 percent of the patients in the second group did not have a subsequent secondary procedure within that time frame.

AthroCare’s PDD products can be used in an out-patient basis. They are used to remove tiny portions of contained herniated discs surgically.

Results of a clinical trial focusing on a minimally-invasive surgical product to treat low back pain has been published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine and reports positive feedback in pain reduction.