Safety and Efficacy of Chymopapain (Disease) in the Treatment of Sciatica Due to a Herniated Nucleus Pulposus Results of a Randomized, Double-Blind Study

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A prospective, multiInstitutional, double-blind trial comparing the effect of chymopapain (Disease) vs. placebo (cysteine-edetate-iothalamate: CEI) for lumbar Inter-vertebral disc rupture with sciatica was carried out on 173 patients, the largest such study reported to date. Patients were matched with respect to age, sex, physical habitus, and level of injection. The procedure was carried out under local anaesthesia. The success rate was superior in the chymopapain group regardless of the method used to assess outcome or the time over the first 6 months at which the two groups were compared: 71% vs. 45% If code breaks were analyzed at 6 months, and 67% vs. 44% If code breaks were defined as lost to follow-up. A single case of anaphylasis and one case of septic discitis were the only serious complications noted. This study supports the role of chymopapain In the treatment of lumbar disc rupture with sciatica.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: