HELP FOR THOSE WITH CHRONIC BACK PAIN.
ABLATION THERAPY FOR MY BACK PAIN
My sister, Sharon said her husband Allen, is put all the way under when they do Ablation Therapy for his chronic back pain, then he goes home. That's what I'm going to have. It blocks all those nerve endings which cause me so much pain in my back. She said it's hard to find a doctor who will do that as you have to have a great specialist to do that, and there's none around me, so it looks like I'll have to go to St Louis Missouri for that. But we'll see. She said you have to go to an actual Pain Specialist in order to get that procedure.
Here's what to expect from these procedure videos:
Guidance: A doctor uses X-ray or ultrasound to accurately position the needle near the affected nerve.
Numbing: Local anesthetic is applied to numb the area, making the procedure more comfortable for the patient.
Ablation: A small radiofrequency current is sent through the needle, heating the tissue around the nerve to disable it and block pain signals.
Patient Feedback: The patient is awake and provides feedback on any sensations during the procedure, allowing the doctor to adjust the treatment.
Circular Lesions: To ensure effective treatment, the needle is often repositioned to create a circular lesion on the nerve.
You can find more detailed explanations by searching on platforms like YouTube for "radiofrequency ablation for back pain".
Your sister's husband likely received general anesthesia for an ablation procedure called Intracept, which treats a specific type of chronic lower back pain. While most nerve ablations for back pain use a local anesthetic with mild sedation, Intracept is a more complex procedure that often requires the patient to be put "all the way under".
How Intracept Ablation is Different
Standard radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for back pain typically treats the medial branch nerves attached to the facet joints, the small joints between vertebrae. With standard RFA, the patient remains awake to provide feedback to the doctor as they locate the correct nerve using a test electrical current.
The Intracept procedure, on the other hand, is designed to treat pain originating from the basivertebral nerve, which is located inside the vertebra itself. This is often called vertebrogenic pain.
Why general anesthesia is used for Intracept
Procedure depth:Accessing the basivertebral nerve requires a more invasive approach than standard RFA. General anesthesia allows the patient to remain completely still and comfortable throughout the procedure.
Lack of sensation required:Unlike standard RFA where patient feedback is necessary, locating the basivertebral nerve is done entirely with imaging guidance. The patient does not need to be awake for the physician to proceed safely and accurately.
Patient comfort:Due to the complexity and location of the nerve being treated, general anesthesia can provide greater patient comfort and safety.
My sister, Sharon said her husband Allen, is put all the way under when they do Ablation Therapy for his chronic back pain, then he goes home. That's what I'm going to have. It blocks all those nerve endings which cause me so much pain in my back. She said it's hard to find a doctor who will do that as you have to have a great specialist to do that, and there's none around me, so it looks like I'll have to go to St Louis Missouri for that. But we'll see. She said you have to go to an actual Pain Specialist in order to get that procedure.
Here's what to expect from these procedure videos:
Guidance: A doctor uses X-ray or ultrasound to accurately position the needle near the affected nerve.
Numbing: Local anesthetic is applied to numb the area, making the procedure more comfortable for the patient.
Ablation: A small radiofrequency current is sent through the needle, heating the tissue around the nerve to disable it and block pain signals.
Patient Feedback: The patient is awake and provides feedback on any sensations during the procedure, allowing the doctor to adjust the treatment.
Circular Lesions: To ensure effective treatment, the needle is often repositioned to create a circular lesion on the nerve.
You can find more detailed explanations by searching on platforms like YouTube for "radiofrequency ablation for back pain".
Your sister's husband likely received general anesthesia for an ablation procedure called Intracept, which treats a specific type of chronic lower back pain. While most nerve ablations for back pain use a local anesthetic with mild sedation, Intracept is a more complex procedure that often requires the patient to be put "all the way under".
How Intracept Ablation is Different
Standard radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for back pain typically treats the medial branch nerves attached to the facet joints, the small joints between vertebrae. With standard RFA, the patient remains awake to provide feedback to the doctor as they locate the correct nerve using a test electrical current.
The Intracept procedure, on the other hand, is designed to treat pain originating from the basivertebral nerve, which is located inside the vertebra itself. This is often called vertebrogenic pain.
Why general anesthesia is used for Intracept
Procedure depth:Accessing the basivertebral nerve requires a more invasive approach than standard RFA. General anesthesia allows the patient to remain completely still and comfortable throughout the procedure.
Lack of sensation required:Unlike standard RFA where patient feedback is necessary, locating the basivertebral nerve is done entirely with imaging guidance. The patient does not need to be awake for the physician to proceed safely and accurately.
Patient comfort:Due to the complexity and location of the nerve being treated, general anesthesia can provide greater patient comfort and safety.
