Diagnostic value of cervical discography in the management of cervical discogenic pain.

We did a retrospective analysis of patients who had a total of 46 cervical discs examined by cervical discography and then evaluated the postoperative results of 14 of the 16 patients who underwent cervical spine fusion at those levels in accordance with the results of our discograms. The average symptomatic period prior to discography was 12 months, and cervical discogenic pain was successfully localized in all 16 patients. Immediately post-cervical discectomy and anterior fusion, subjectively, all 14 patients had good to excellent results, and after a mean follow-up of 6.5 (1.5 to 14) months, 11 patients (78.6%) continued with good to excellent results and three patients (21.4%) developed related pain patterns. Thus, cervical discography, in a "select group" of patients with chronic intractable neck pain but negative or indeterminate imaging findings who are being considered for surgical intervention, can help localize the symptomatic level and potentially benefit the patients by surgical intervention.