Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39514049›Full record

ArticlePain and therapy2025

Collagenase Chemonucleolysis for Treating Cervical Disc Herniation: An Exploratory, Single-Arm, Open-Label, Multicenter Clinical Trial.

Zhijian Wang, Bifa Fan, Lili Gu, Xuexue Zhang, Tao Sun, Hui Liu, Rongchun Li, Likui Wang, Kaiqiang Wang, Shun Li and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Pain and therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Efficacy and safety of low-temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation combined with ozone injection versus triple therapy including collagenase for cervical disc herniation: a randomized controlled trial.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026
    Trial
  2. Predicting rehabilitation outcomes following collagenase chemonucleolysis for lumbar disc herniation using psoas muscle index.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Zhijian WangDepartment of Pain, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17, Yongwai Zheng Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330000, Jiangxi, China.
Bifa FanDepartment of Pain, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 100000, China.
Lili GuDepartment of Pain, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17, Yongwai Zheng Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330000, Jiangxi, China.
Xuexue ZhangDepartment of Pain, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17, Yongwai Zheng Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330000, Jiangxi, China.
Tao SunDepartment of Pain, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250000, Shandong, China.
Hui LiuDepartment of Pain, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610000, Sichuan, China.
Rongchun LiDepartment of Pain, Wuhan Fourth Hospital, Wuhan, 430000, Hubei, China.
Likui WangDepartment of Pain, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, Anhui, China.
Kaiqiang WangDepartment of Pain, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200000, China.
Shun LiDepartment of Pain, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, 310000, Zhejiang, China.
Yong MaDepartment of Pain, The Third People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, 650000, Yunnan, China.
Haibo YouDepartment of Pain, The Third People's Hospital of Linyi, Linyi, 276000, Shandong, China.
Daying ZhangDepartment of Pain, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17, Yongwai Zheng Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330000, Jiangxi, China. zhangdaying_work@163.com.

Funding

Jiangxi Provincial Department of Science and Technology's External Science and Technology Cooperation Program Project 20161BBH80080Jiangxi Provincial Health Commission Science and Technology Plan Project 202410217National Key Clinical Specialty Discipline Construction Program of China 2013-544
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionCervical disc herniation (CDH) is the most common cause of cervical radiculopathy and causes persistent neck pain and neurological deficits. Collagenase chemonucleolysis has been successfully applied to treat lumbar disc herniation, which has a similar pathological mechanism to CDH. However, its application for CDH remains under-researched, and there is an even greater lack of high-quality clinical evidence. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of collagenase chemonucleolysis for treating CDH.

methodsEligible patients with CDH underwent collagenase chemonucleolysis via anterior cervical intradiscal injection or epidural injection. The primary efficacy endpoint showed an excellent and good rate regarding the Odom criteria, which was not lower than the reference value (≥ 78%) at 6 months postoperatively. The secondary efficacy endpoints were the percentage reduction in Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and Neck Disability Index (NDI) scores from baseline, which were not lower than the reference values (≥ 40%, ≥ 30%), and improvement in the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) score compared to the preoperative value. The pre- and postoperative CDH index of patients were also compared. Safety endpoints included the incidence of adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs).

resultsAn excellent and good rate regarding the Odom criteria 6 months postoperatively was 90.5% (133/147), which was significantly higher than 78% (P < 0.004, 95% confidence interval 85.7-95.2%). The reduction in NRS and NDI scores exceeded 40% (P < 0.001) and 30% (P < 0.001), respectively. The SF-36 scores at 3 months and 6 months postoperatively were significantly higher than those preoperatively (P < 0.001). A significant difference was observed in the pre- and postoperative CDH index (109.6 ± 119.1 vs. 70.8 ± 74.8, P < 0.001). The incidence of AEs was 22.5% (33/147), of which 97.8% were grade 1-2. No collagenase-related AEs and SAEs occurred.

conclusionCollagenase chemonucleolysis treatment for CDH exhibited favorable efficacy and safety and may be a better choice for patients in whom conservative treatment is ineffective.

trial registrationThe trial was registered on www.Chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2200063043).

Indexed as

Cervical disc herniationCervical radiculopathyChemonucleolysisClinical trialCollagenaseDegenerative cervical spondylosis

Identifiers

PMID39514049
PMCPMC11751348

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.