principle

The advantage of this percutaneous technique is to reduce volume and pressure of the pathological disk without damage to other spinal structures. All minimaly invasive techniques like PLDD are based on the reduction of volume of the pathological disk. In this procedure the laser energy is transmitted through a thin optical fiber into the intervertebral disk. The aim of PLDD is to vaporize a small portion of the nucleus. The ablation of a relatively small volume of the nucleus results in an important reduction of intradiscal pressure thus inducing reduction of disk herniation.

Fig 4:PLDD principle, starting procedure

Fig 5: PLDD principle, end of procedure

Fig 6: PLDD principle, starting procedure

Fig 7: PLDD principle, end of procedure