Results of Charité Artificial Lumbar Disc Replacement: Experience in 43 Thais
Pairoj Warachit MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Orthopedics, Hat Yai Regional Hospital, Hat Yai, Thailand
Objective : To demonstrate the results of artificial lumbar disc replacement in Thai patients with degenerative
disc disease.
Material and Method: A prospective study had been conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of artificial
lumbar disc replacement in patients from October 2004 to December 2007. Oswestry disability index (ODI)
score and visual analogic scale (VAS) for pain had been used to assess the clinical result before and after
surgery.
Results : Forty three patients diagnosed as degenerative lumbar disc disease underwent 50 artificial lumbar
disc replacement. All patients markedly improved in both ODI and VAS. The mean ODI score decreased from
60.9 % preoperative to only 9.8 % postoperative. The VAS score also decreased from 7.44 to 1.3 at the final
follow up period. No serious complication found from this procedure.
Conclusion : We demonstrated a good short term, a critical outcome of Charité artificial lumbar disc replace-
ment in Thai patient with degenerative lumbar disc disease.
Keywords : Artificial disc replacement, Degenerative disc disease
