[Failure of chemonucleolysis and its surgical treatment. Apropos of 268 cases].

The authors have reviewed 268 cases of herniated lumbar discs treated by chemonucleolysis between 1980 and 1984. 52 patients had a laminectomy (19,40 p. 100) and 18 of theses failures were due to a large disc herniation (34,61 p. 100). The result of the surgical treatment after chemonucleolysis failure was good in 67,30 p. 100 of cases. A chymopapain injection is not indicated in patients with a large disc herniation.