This intradiscal electrothermy technique does not require a skin incision and is performed completely percutaneoulsy through a tiny needle insertion. A small catheter is inserted into the disc and the tip of the catheter is heated. This caused disc shrinkage and deadens the nerve endings in the disc. All patients go home the same day and may return to their usual level of function the following day. The most common surgery performed for degenerative disc disease is spinal fusion.
Spinal fusion is the surgical joining of one vertebral body to another.
Both approaches require surgical incisions to expose the spine. The posterior procedure may involve the removal of the intervertebral disc as described above. Bone may be obtained from the hip area and this will be placed alongside the spine to further the bone fusion. This web site is intended for educational purposes only. The information provided through this web site should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease.