14-JULY-2025  HANA ABED-RABO ABDEL-QADER  35 YEARS  HUGE EXTRUDED DISC L5-S1 WITH FAR LEFT EXTRAFORAMINAL OCCLUSION.

The patient came 12-July-2025 complaining of agonizing left sciatica down to the heel left foot for 4 days with LBP. MRI lumbar spine done 11-July-2025 showing huge extruded disc L5-S1 with left far extraforaminal occlusion with small bulge L4-5.

On examination, the patient using walker. SLRS right side was 30 degrees with pain shooting to the left side and 5 degrees in the left with more pain. There is  weak dorsi and planterflexion left foot. No sensory deficit.

Lab investigations were uneventful. CRP was negative, ESR 15 mm/h.

The level of L5-S1 was identified and foraminotomy left S1 root was done.  Left sided L5-S1 disc cleaning was done with removal of the extrusion projecting to the left extraforaminal direction. Using MultiGen, bipolar stimulation of the left S1 root responded to 0.6 Volts. A bipolar pulsed mode RF with 42 Celsius, 240 sec, 2 Hz and 20 msec duration to the left S1 root  was achieved using 2 bended catheters 10 mm exposed length. Further bipolar stimulation of left S1 root responded to 0.5 Volts. The patient was put in Reverse Trendelenburg position with Valsalva maneuver and hyperventilation. No CSF leak. Routine closure of the wound. The patient showed normal recovery. She was sent to the ward.

Too early now.

The extruded disc was occluding bilateral L3-4 foramen with extension extraforaminal.

This is the 288th case using the MultiGen. This procedure regained routine acceptance.  It became a usual part of the spine and peripheral nerves surgery. Click here for reference. The patient showed improvement of the motor stimulation after BPRF, and the sciatic pain disappeared and regained normal power of the left foot.

With accumulation of data, it became clear that the irritated nerve with aberrant currents running in the C fibers up, not only causing no change or elevation of the required voltage to achieve motor response, but they could cause the preoperative weakness. Ablation of such currents results in facilitation of the motor response and improvement of function with disappearance of pain.

It is unclear why the roots have several motor response with different patients, despite the fact that the neurological status was the same and the anesthesia protocol also the same.

It could be that the nerve is recovering minute by minute after decompression and this can explain why the motor conductivity is improving after the BPRF application, which require 5 minute session in most cases.

After the 172d case, the elevation of motor stimulation above 5 V was abandoned to avoid delayed dural tear with subsequent CSF leak, which take place at the contact at the lower electrode shaft with the dura below or above the level of the axilla.

Before doing motor stimulation in peripheral nerve surgery with tourniquet. always release the tourniquet before performing motor stimulation.