Patent ID: 8273005

Claim:
A method for the treatment of a pain complaint of a subject using a removable catheter-based source of ionizing radiation, comprising: localizing a spinal nerve as it exits a spinal column of the subject, the localized spinal nerve being identified as a component of the pain complaint of the subject; accessing the spinal nerve percutaneously through an internal bore of a cannula, a distal aspect of the cannula being positioned in proximity to the localized spinal nerve as the nerve exits the spinal column; advancing a catheter through the bore of the cannula, a distal region of the catheter being in proximity to the localized spinal nerve as the nerve exits the spinal column, the catheter configured to deliver ionizing radiation; and delivering a desired dose of ionizing radiation to the localized spinal nerve, the spinal nerve being in proximity to an exit site of the nerve from the spinal column; removing the catheter and the cannula after administration of the ionizing radiation dose.