Long-Term Clinical Outcomes of Percutaneous Cervical Nucleoplasty for Cervical Degenerative Diseases with Neck Pain and Cervical Vertigo

Abstract

Background: Good short- and mid-term clinical efficacy of percutaneous cervical nucleoplasty (PCN) for cervical degenerative diseases (CDD) with neck pain has been reported. However, few studies have assessed its long-term influence in patients with both neck pain and cervical vertigo. This study aimed to evaluate the curative efficacy of PCN for CDD with neck pain and cervical vertigo with minimum of 6 years of follow-up.

Methods: Inpatients who underwent PCN for CDD with neck pain and cervical vertigo between April 2010 and March 2013 were enrolled. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the Cervical Vertigo Evaluation Scale (CVES); greater CVES scores reflected less impairment. Additional open surgeries were recorded.

Results: Among 40 patients, 100% completed the 1-year short-term and 3-year mid-term follow-up (FU); 85% completed the 6-year long-term FU. Clinical effective rates were 67.5%, 67.5%, and 52.94% at short-, mid-, and long-term FU, respectively. CVES scores were greater than the preoperative CVES scores at all FU timepoints (P < 0.01). However, the CVES score was lower at the final FU than at the 3-year FU (P < 0.05). The neck pain score significantly decreased over time and was lower than the cervical vertigo score at the final FU (P > 0.05). Reoperation rates were 1/40 (2.50%) and 3/34 (8.82%) at mid- and long-term FU, respectively.

Conclusions: PCN in patients with CDD neck pain and cervical vertigo showed satisfactory clinical efficacy at short- and mid-term FU, and it was fair at long-term FU. Thus, PCN could be a complementary operation for CDD.

Keywords: Cervical degenerative disc diseases; Cervical vertigo; Neck pain; Percutaneous cervical nucleoplasty.