Intradiscal Condoliase Injection Therapy for Recurrent Lumbar Disc Herniation: Case Series and Literature Review

Background and objectives: Although chemonucleolysis with condoliase for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) has become common, few reports have described its application in the treatment of recurrent LDH. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of condoliase treatment in six patients with recurrent LDH and review the available literature on condoliase treatment for LDH. Materials and Methods: Six patients (four men and two women; mean age, 64.7 years) with recurrent LDH who were treated with condoliase at our hospital between 2019 and 2022 were included. The clinical records and images of the patients were retrospectively evaluated. In addition, the available English literature on condoliase treatment for LDH was retrieved and reviewed. Results: Among the six patients included in the study, three showed >50% improvement in leg pain after treatment, which is a lower efficacy rate than that in previous reports. In addition, two patients required surgery after treatment, which is a higher rate than that in previous reports. The mean intervertebral disc height significantly decreased from 8.4 mm before treatment to 6.9 mm after treatment, consistent with the results of previous studies. None of the cases showed Modic type I changes on magnetic resonance imaging. Conclusions: Although the efficacy of condoliase treatment for recurrent LDH may be lower than that for primary LDH, this treatment was found to be safe and applicable for recurrent LDH.