Back Pain: Annuloplasty
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Intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty is the name of a procedure that can help you deal with discogenic back pain. Its not meant for use in cases of patients suffering from a herniated disc because the procedure does nothing to help a herniated disc. But lets explain the procedure so you can understand why this is.
Discogenic back pain occurs when through normal use (or improper or extreme use, as well), an intervertebral disc suffers wear and tear. This wear and tear can manifest itself as fissures in the outer tissue of the disc, itself. This is what directly causes back pain. The good news is that unlike a herniated disc, when you suffer from discogenic back pain, the pain you suffer is only in your back and nowhere else.
Intradiscal Electrothermal Annuloplasty - What it is
If intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty is the procedure your doctor feels you should undergo, heres how it works. A tiny, hollow needle is inserted into the disc, itself. Then, a heating wire or electrothermal catheter is inserted and then heated to 90 degrees Celsius. (Dont worry, youll get local anesthesia!)
What this extreme heat does is cause the outer tissue to contract and the fissures to close. The heat also serves to cauterize the nerve endings in the disc, making them less sensitive to pain. Is this procedure right for you? Only your doctor can tell you that.
Posted on: Sunday, June 22, 2008 at 1:01 pm 
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