The second step is called coagulation. As the SpineWand is removed from the disk, it generates heat, which shrinks or contracts the center of the disk. Doctors say the Perc-D SpineWand is less invasive than many other back surgeries. Only a tiny one millimeter incision is needed. Patients only require local anesthesia and there are no stitches.
Recovery is immediate, with patients walking immediately after surgery.
The SpineWand isn t for patients with spinal stenosis, extruded disks, or degenerative disk disease. A disk is a soft, spongy pad located between each of the vertebrae in the spine. The disks act like shock absorbers and allow the spine to bend. In a herniated disk, some of the nucleus pushes through the outer covering and presses on the spinal nerves. The condition is sometimes referred to as a slipped or ruptured disk.