Heating the outer layer of the intervertebral
disc (thermocoagulating the annulus fibrosis) in the spine to get rid of back
pain (and sometimes leg pain) is a new technique developed in 1997. In 1998,
the FDA approved its use for coagulation and decompression of the disc. It is
performed by briefly inserting a small wire inside the disc and heating it to
destroy the nerves causing pain and denature the collagen, both located in the
annulus of the disc. When the collagen heals and "remodels", it is suppose to
both shrink the size of protrusions or herniations and cause collagen in the
disc to heal stronger than it was before the treatment.
Why was this new treatment developed? Heretofore, severe low back or leg
pain caused by a defect in the disc usually required surgical treatment. Surgery
frequently can "cure" the problem, but also can lead to no improvement or,
even worsening of pain. The invasiveness of surgery also is of concern to
many patients and it is expensive. In this day and age, much research is being
done to provide effective treatment with less pain, invasiveness, risk, recovery
time and expense. The IDET procedure has been developed and designed with
these goals in mind.
The benefits of the IDET procedure are that it is a brief (one half
hour), minimally invasive procedure (one or two needles, no surgery) performed
as an outpatient at a surgery center, using local anesthesia and IV sedation.
So the risks, pain and costs are minimal. The major benefit, of course, is
that the discogenic low back and/or leg pain may resolve without the need
for major spine fusion surgery.
The only real concern about the IDET is that it is a relatively
new procedure, However, after thousands cases, the results look good,
meaning that from 50% to 80% of patients "improve", experiencing partial to
complete pain relief, with only very rare side effects.
So, the IDET is a relatively new procedure developed to relieve discogenic
low back and/or leg pain. It is much less invasive, less painful, less risky,
and less expensive than surgery, with none of the potential delayed surgical
sequelae (scarring and post-laminectomy syndrome) and can be done as an outpatient
procedure with minimal recovery time.
