Appeal type: Experimental/Investigational
Decision: Upheld

Diagnosis: Chronic back pain
Treatment: Procedure codes 64628 and 64629 (intraosseous basivertebral nerve ablation) (procedure to treat your back)
The insurer denied coverage for procedure codes 64628 and 64629 (intraosseous basivertebral nerve ablation) (procedure to treat your back)
The denial is upheld

In assessing whether intraosseous basivertebral nerve ablation using the Intracept device is considered more beneficial for this patient than standard treatments or procedures, it is important to know that the publications in peer-reviewed literature to date have been mostly company sponsored, have had methodologic flaws, and were at risk for confirmation bias. UpToDate does not support the use of radiofrequency ablation for low back pain. Furthermore, despite Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, there are many exclusion criteria.

For individuals who have vertebrogenic low back pain who receive ablation of basivertebral nerves, the evidence includes two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (SMART and INTRACEPT trials, both sponsored by device manufacturer). Relevant outcomes were symptoms, functional outcomes, quality of life and treatment-related morbidity. In one RCT, at 12 months, 73% of patients crossed over to the active treatment group and therefore long-term comparative data is not available. Limitations to the other RCT include lack of a sham control and short duration of follow-up. The evidence is insufficient to determine that the technology results in an improvement in the net health outcome.

This patient is not a good candidate for intraosseous basivertebral nerve ablation. There are other evidence-based treatments available to this patient. This procedure is unlikely to be more beneficial than the standard approaches. The basivertebral nerve ablation procedure with the Intracept device is not the best available treatment for this patient based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of other pain etiology. 

There are other evidence-based medications and treatments available to this patient. This procedure is unlikely to be more beneficial than the standard approaches. Any invasive procedure has risk of bleeding, infection, nerve injury or retained foreign body compared to non-invasive treatments.

The supporting publications to date have been mostly company sponsored, have had methodologic flaws, and were at risk for confirmation bias. UpToDate does not support the use of radiofrequency ablation for low back pain. Despite limited FDA approval, there is no current Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approval for the use of the Intracept procedure, with a proposed local coverage determinations (LCD) a work in progress. Furthermore, with MRI evidence of other pain etiology (lumbar disc extrusion/protrusion with nerve root impingement) this patient would have been excluded from the INTRACEPT trial and therefore the Intracept procedure is unlikely to be more beneficial than standard treatments/procedures for this patient.

In summary, the denial of procedure codes 64628 and 64629 (intraosseous basivertebral nerve ablation) (procedure to treat your back) and coverage for the requested service should be upheld. This treatment is not likely to be more beneficial than any standard treatments for this patient's condition and the adverse risks are substantially increased over standard treatments.