Intradiscal electrothermal therapy or IDET is a comparatively new procedure devised to manage chronic lower back pain. It is slightly invasive surgery that makes use of heat delivered through the electrical device straight to the problem areas of your spine. Sometimes scar tissue formation and excessively grown nerve fibers from injury or chronic illness can cause debilitating disc pain. The fibers and nerve network get pinched by the disc causing severe pain
IDET works heating the outer most covering of the damaged disc. The heat helps reduce the fibers within the disc and impairs the pain receptors. Patients have reported significant pain relief in as quickly as three days and it can last up to six months
What is actually Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy?
The slightly invasive procedure takes an hour and done on an outpatient basis. The procedure helps eliminate and manage lumbar back pain occur from a disease, injury or mild herniated disc. At the Pain Management Institute our Board Certified Anesthesiologist Dr Zaki Anwar. MD performs the procedure on an outpatient basis. During the procedure you can remain awake as he often uses local anesthesia and light sedation to minimize any discomfort. Discuss with your physician prior to the procedure about risk recovery and expectations. The detailed procedure is discussed in this blog, keep reading
Administering the needle
At The Pain Management Institute, we take advantage of the most modern technology to diagnose the precise point of the damaged disc in your spine. Once Dr. Zaki Anwar verifies the aimed point, he uses fluoroscopy X-ray imaging to administer a hollow needle straight to the disc
Inserting the heating wire
He then introduces the heating wire, that is an electrothermal catheter, with the needle steering it to precisely reach the damaged portion of the disc. You might not feel any pain at this point in the procedure
Dressing the disc wall
When the electrothermal catheter reached its aimed location, the power is turned on and the temperature of the wire is slowly increased to 90 degree Celcius. Dr. Zaki Anwar carefully monitors the process warming the damaged disc wall for about 15 to 20 minutes
Repairing the disc wall
The heat gradually shrinks and repairs the damage and torn disc wall area, it also slightly burns the nerve endings to make them less sensitive to pain. If you experience any pain during the procedure, it’s because of the heat applied to the disc
Recovery
Dr. Zaki Anwar, MD removes the electrothermal catheter and needle within 15 to 20 minutes. The injection point is covered with a small bandage and you can return home the same day