Status:

COMPLETED

Manipulation or Microdiscectomy For Sciatica? A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial.

Lead Sponsor:

McMorland, Gordon, D.C.

Collaborating Sponsors:

Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER)

Conditions:

Sciatica

Intervertebral Disk Displacement

Eligibility:

All Genders

18+ years

Phase:

PHASE2

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study was to compare standardized chiropractic treatment (spinal manipulation) to back surgery (microdiscectomy) for patients with sciatica secondary to lumbar herniated disc refra...

Detailed Description

Context: Operative management of lumbar radiculopathy caused by lumbar disc herniation (LDH) in patients refractory to medical management provides rapid and effective symptom relief. However, both sho...

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

  • Consecutive patients presenting through elective referral by primary care physicians to one of the three participating spinal neurosurgeons (SC, SJD, RJH) between December 2000 and May 2004 were screened for symptoms of unilateral lumbar radiculopathy secondary to LDH at L3/4, L4/5 or L5/S1. Detailed surgical histories and physical examinations were performed on each referred patient by the consulting neurosurgeon and correlated with evidence of appropriate root compression on MR imaging. Patients who had failed at least 3 months of non-operative management including treatment with analgesics, lifestyle modification, physiotherapy, massage therapy and / or acupuncture, and who were felt appropriate for microdiscectomy by the neurosurgeon were asked to consider study participation.

Exclusion

  • Radicular symptoms \< 3 months duration
  • Major neurological deficits such as:
  • Cauda equina syndrome
  • Rapidly progressing neurological symptoms (e.g. foot drop)
  • Substance abuse
  • Hospitalization for intravenous or intramuscular narcotics
  • Systemic or visceral disease (e.g. auto-immune diseases, major system failure)
  • Hemorrhagic disorders, anticoagulation therapy
  • Previous surgery at symptomatic level
  • Concurrent chiropractic care at time of enrollment
  • Prolonged use of systemic corticosteroids
  • Osteopenia/Osteoporosis
  • Spondylolisthesis grade III or IV
  • Unable to read or speak English
  • Age \< 18
  • Pregnancy
  • Dementia or other cognitive impairment
  • Unavailable for follow-up (geographic barriers)

Key Trial Info

Start Date :

January 1 2000

Trial Type :

INTERVENTIONAL

End Date :

May 1 2004

Estimated Enrollment :

40 Patients enrolled

Trial Details

Trial ID

NCT00415220

Start Date

January 1 2000

End Date

May 1 2004

Last Update

December 22 2006

Active Locations (2)

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Page 1 of 1 (2 locations)

1

National Spine Care

Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 2A1

2

University of Calgary, Faculty of Medicine, Division of Neurosurgery

Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 4N1