Electrothermal Therapy for Back Pain

The heat softens and shrinks the collagen tissue, curbs the release of irritating substances, and destroys the surrounding pain receptors. The procedure takes about 45 minutes. Using x-ray, a pain management specialist guides a needle into the affected disk and then navigates a treatment wire through the needle into the ring surrounding the center of the disk. The wire is heated gradually for about 17 minutes using an external generator. The procedure is then followed by a rehabilitation program for 8-12 weeks. In the study, most patients experienced significant pain relief after two to three months and remained relatively pain-free thereafter.

"We plan to follow patients for at least two years after treatment,” said Dr. Nagy Mekhail, anesthesiologist at the Cleveland Clinic. "We want to know how this treatment compares to surgery. Do we improve the quality of life long-term?”




Related Links:
Cleveland Clinic