• Roberto Gazzeri, Susanna Tribuzi, Marcelo Galarza, Matteo Luigi Giuseppe Leoni, and Felice Occhigrossi.
• Pain Therapy Unit, San Giovanni-Addolorata Hospital, Rome, Italy.
• Pain Med. 2023 Jun 1; 24 (6): 625632625-632.

ObjectivePercutaneous laser disc decompression (PLDD) has been regarded as an effective alternative for the treatment of cervical soft disc herniations. Repeated X-Ray scanning is essential when performing this technique.DesignTechnical note.MethodsWe present a new method for the treatment of cervical disc herniation using ultrasound to guide the needle entry to the cervical disc, to avoid excess of radiation exposure during the surgical procedure. We evaluated the efficacy of this cervical approach. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 14 cases who underwent a PLDD under ultrasound guidance for the treatment of contained cervical disc herniation using a 1,470 Nm diode laser. The lower cervical discs (C5-C6 and C6-C7) were the most affected sites, accounting for 78.6% of surgical discs. A significant NRS reduction between baseline and 1 month (P = .0002) and between baseline and 12 months (P = .0007) was observed.ConclusionsOur results support the conclusion that ultrasound guided PLDD with fluoroscopic validation is a minimally invasive technique for patients affected by herniated cervical discs, but proper choice of patients is critical. This approach should not be performed except after adequate training under close supervision of surgeons experienced in this procedure and in interventional US.© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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