This is very effective for low back pain or leg pain where disc is proven as cause of pain by MRI scan or Provocative discography.
A thin (few mm) wand/needle like device is inserted in the disc under local anesthetic.
The disc nucleus material is removed by to & fro movement of the wand in different direction under live x-ray control. This decompresses the disc & relieves pain.
The pain relief is almost immediate in most of the patients & some gets relief within 4-6 weeks depending on the chronicity of the case.
It is one of the very rewarding procedure in small contained disc herniation & usually avoids the need for major back surgery.
The procedure takes 30-40 minutes & patients can go home within few hours after the procedure.
The procedure is performed under x-ray guidance to accurately place a needle into the disc. Using this minimally invasive approach, a small pathway is made into the disc and a precisely engineered device, known as a SpineWand surgical device, is then inserted through the needle into the center of the disc. The device utilizes Coblation technology to dissolve tissue while preserving nearby healthy tissue.
The removal of nucleus tissue relieves pressure on the protective ring around the disc or annulus, typically allowing the bulge to recede, so that the disc no longer irritates the nearby nerve root. Normally, the entire procedure takes less than an hour, and the patient can leave the medical facility one to two hours later, with no overnight hospital stay required.