Intradiscal Injection with Condoliase (Chondroitin Sulfate ABC Endolyase) for Painful Radiculopathy Caused by Lumbar Disc Herniation

Takashi Hirai; Takuya Takahashi; Tomoyuki Tanaka; Takayuki Motoyoshi; Yu Matsukura; Masato Yuasa; Hiroyuki Inose; Toshitaka Yoshii; Atsushi Okawa

doi:10.22603/ssrr.2021-0151

Intradiscal Injection with Condoliase (Chondroitin Sulfate ABC Endolyase) for Painful Radiculopathy Caused by Lumbar Disc Herniation

Spine Surg Relat Res. 2021 Oct 11;6(3):252-260. doi: 10.22603/ssrr.2021-0151. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Takashi Hirai¹, Takuya Takahashi¹, Tomoyuki Tanaka¹, Takayuki Motoyoshi¹, Yu Matsukura¹, Masato Yuasa¹, Hiroyuki Inose¹, Toshitaka Yoshii¹, Atsushi Okawa¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.

Abstract

Introduction: Chemonucleolysis with condoliase (chondroitin sulfate ABC endolyase) has been used to treat patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) in Japan since 2018. In this study, we retrospectively investigated clinical outcomes in patients who received an intradiscal condoliase injection for LDH and sought to identify significant predictors of good outcome.

Methods: Indications for treatment were as follows: (1) unilateral leg pain with or without back pain, (2) nerve root compression caused by LDH confirmed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and (3) leg pain resistant to at least 1 month of conservative treatment, including medication, nerve root block, or physical therapy. Patients with motor weakness or a history of severe allergy were excluded, as were those with the foraminal or sequestrated type of LDH. The injection was defined as effective if the numeric rating scale score for leg pain improved by ≥50% at 6 months post-treatment.

Results: A total of 52 patients (mean age, 45.0 years) were enrolled and classified according to whether the injection was effective (E group, n=40, 76.9%) or less effective (L group, n=9, 17.3%). Three patients (5.8%) underwent herniotomy for residual pain within 6 months of the injection. There were no severe adverse events. Reduction of herniation was seen on MRI more often in the E group than in the L group. The effectiveness in patients with transligamentous LDH was similar to that in patients with subligamentous LDH. High-intensity signal change in the area of LDH on pretreatment T2-weighted MRI was a significant predictor of successful leg pain relief.

Conclusions: An intradiscal condoliase injection was a safe and effective treatment for painful radiculopathy caused by LDH. Leg pain was more likely to improve in patients with high-intensity signal change in the area of LDH before treatment.

Keywords: Intradical injection; chemonucleolysis; condoliase; high-intensity signal change; leg pain; low back pain; lumbar intervertebral disc herniation; radiculopathy.