Background and aims: the disc herniation is well-defined clinical entity. If the pain persists after the conservative therapy more invasive treatment are considered. The chemonucleolisis is a percutaneosus treatment and the Radiopaque gelified ethanol (RGE) is used as a chemonucleolysis substance. The intradiscal injection of RGE results in molecular splitting of proteoglycans in the nucleus polposus reducing nuclear volume and withdr\awal of the protrusion. The aim of this study was to investigate the long term efficacy and safety of chemonucleolysis with RGE in patient with cervical and lombar disc herniation who failed conservative treatment.
METHODS: The observation was conducted from september 2018 to november 2018 on patients that usually had cervical or lombar discogenic pain or radicular pain resistent to appropriate conservative treatment and confirmed by a CT or magnetic resonance imaging of a herniated disc. A sample of 37 patients (41% males and 51% fameles, 25-89 years of age), with radicular pain with a duration >3 months, intensity > 7/10 Visual Analogue Scale, neuropathic pain 4 questions > 6/10), Oswestry disability Index score>40. Exclusion criteria included: coagulopathy or infection, imaging results that did not support clinical results, disc calcified on imaging.
Results: treatment was technically successful in 37 patients, for a total of 37 disc herniation. There not complications. We evalueted treatmenta at 15 days, 30 days, 3 mounths, 6 months (tab 1)
CONCLUSIONS: RGE is safe and effective as a minimally invasive procedure that can be used as a substitute for invasive surgery in unsuccessful medical treatments.

EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF CHEMONUCLEOLYSIS WITH RADIOPAQUE GELIFIED ETHANOL (RGE) WITH CENTERING COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (CT) FOR CERVICAL AND LOMBAR DISC HERNIATION