why is chemonucleolysis no longer practiced in the US?

Answer 1

While chemonucleolysis oftentimes reports less complications than lumbar surgery does, if any complications do occur from chemonucleolysis they are very serious and life threathening.

The risks include,

"anaphylactic shock, intracranial or spinal hemorrhage and transverse myelitis" (WebMd). These risks are not only life threathening but if the patient does survive, they are tedious, irreversible on most ocassions and very expensive.

So would you rather perform a simple surgery on your patient, and while you are doing it, have the peace of mind that if something goes wrong the probability of survival will be greater. Or would you rather inject a substance into the patient's spongy core, hope that they are not allergic to the enzyme and destroy the nucleus pulposus?

My father had surgery because of having a herniated disk, and although he did not need chemonucleolysis, the surgeon did go wrong on his surgery. The surgeon punctured his spine and caused a leak of his CSF, and later, as he was supposed to lie flat in bed so that the CSF could stay in its place, the doctors and nurses took him for a walk!!!! I was about to dissolve from anger. I suggested a law suit but my father is forgiving so he simply let it go.

Had he undergone chemonucleolysis under the hands of these practicioners, I don't believe he would be here. Then again, in the case a complication arises from this procedure, it is very likely that the patient will either die, or simply have serious medical problems for the rest of their life. If everything goes well, they will benefit no more than if they had undergone the other surgical procedure. Do take into consideration that chemonucleolysis does involve destroying the spongy core of one disk, and therefore the patient will look about an inch shorter after the surgery.

Answer 2

It often does more harm than good.