OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical effects of percutaneous coblation nucleoplasty in treating cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and investigate its mechanism of action.

METHODSForm January 2015 to January 2017, 21 patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy were treated by percutaneous coblation nucleoplasty, including 8 males and 13 females with an average age of 49.6 years old ranging from 43 to 61 years old. The course of disease was for 1 to 6 months with a median age of 4 months. Three cases were single segment, 9 cases were double segments, 7 cases were three-segment, 2 cases were four-segment. Intervertebral disc pressure, VAS were compared before and after operation. Angular displacement(AD) and horizontal displacement(HD) were measured by image data and in order to evaluate the cervical stability. Modified MacNab criteria was used to assess clinical effects.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up from 1 to 12 months with an average of 8.6 months. Preoperative intervertebral disc pressure was (32.0±5.26) cmH2O and immediately after operation was (21.0±7.18) cmH2O, there was statistical significance between before and after operation(=0.003). Preoperative angular displacement and horizontal displacement was (3.85±1.26) ° and (1.23±0.58) mm, six months after operation was (4.18±1.31) ° and (1.69±0.46) mm, respectively. There was no statistical significance before and after operation(>0.05). Preoperative VAS scores were 7.49±0.53, postoperative at 3 days, 3, 6 months were 3.51±0.49, 2.63±0.61, 2.56±0.71, respectively, and postoperative obtained obvious improvement(<0.05). According to modified MacNab criteria, 6 cases obtained excellent results, 7 good, 4 fair 3 poor at 3 days;10 cases obtained excellent results, 5 good, 3 fair, 2 poor at 3 months; 12 cases obtained excellent results, 6 good, 1 fair, 1 poor at 6 months after operation. Postoperative clinical effect at 6 months was better than 3 d, and 3 months(<0.05), and postoperative at 3 months was better than 3 d(<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPercutaneous coblation nucleoplasty in treating cervical spondylotic radiculopathy can effectively relieve the pain of neck, shoulder and upper limb and can also relieve some associated symptoms such as headache and dizziness.