Patent ID: 8403895

Claim:
A method of treating a disc that is leaking nucleus pulposus through at least one defect in the annulus fibrosus, comprising: inserting a first needle having a tip by piercing the annulus fibrosus and pushing the first needle tip into the nucleus pulposus, inserting a polymeric catheter or a second needle into the first needle up to but not beyond the tip of the first needle, then injecting a fibrin sealant through the polymeric catheter or second needle, or both the first needle and the polymeric catheter or second needle, into the disc to reduce at least a portion of the at least one defect, wherein the fibrin sealant injected into the disc comprises an anesthetic, fibrinogen and an activating compound, wherein at least a portion of the fibrin forms after injection, with the proviso that a corticosteroid is absent from the fibrin sealant injected into the disc.