chemonucleolysisn.
/ˌkiːməʊnjuːklɪˈɒlᵻsɪs/, U.S. /ˌkimoʊn(j)ukliˈɑləsəs/, /ˌkɛmoʊn(j)ukliˈɑləsəs/ Surgery and Medicine.
Destruction of the herniated nucleus pulposus of an intervertebral disc by injection of an enzyme or other chemical agent. Cf. nucleolysis n. 3.
ΚΠ
1967 L. Smith & J. E. Brown in Jrnl. Bone & Joint Surg. 49B 503 The word ‘chemonucleolysis’ was coined to describe the procedure of ‘injection of chymopapain into an intervertebral disc’.
1983 Washington Post (Nexis) 17 June c5 A new technique for ‘dissolving’ the herniated pulpy nucleus of a lumbar disc was approved recently by the Food and Drug Administration. The technique, called ‘Chemonucleolysis’, involves injecting an enzyme, derived from the papaya fruit, into the part of the disc that herniates.
1993 S. J. Ettinger Pocket Compan. Textbk. Vet. Internal Med. lxii. 262 Chemonucleolysis may be of benefit in animals with intervertebral disk disease.
2001 Jrnl. Neuroradiol. 28 219 (title) Chemonucleolysis of lumbar disc herniation with ethanol.
Derivatives
ˌchemonucleoˈlytic adj.
ΚΠ
1983 Spine 8 59 The renewed interest in using chymopapain (CP) as a chemonucleolytic agent for treatment of sciatica and low-back pain.
1997 Jrnl. Neurosurg. 86 998 The authors postulate that, in addition to its chemonucleolytic action, chymopapain may possess antiinflammatory properties.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1967