Patient description: The patient is a 41-year-old obese woman coming to the emergency room with abdominal pain and vomiting. The pain that started gradually yesterday is located in the epigastric and periumbilical regions, radiating to her back. She drinks alcohol frequently and does not smoke. She has no history of allergies and uses only multivitamins daily. Her family history is positive for hypertension (her mother). She lives with her husband and has 3 children. The abdomen is tender and soft. Her bowel sounds are normal. Her heart rate is 115/min and blood pressure 110/75 mmHg. The lab studies are remarkable for leukocytosis (19.5), urea of 8.5, high CRP (145), high amylase (1200) and Glucose level of 15. Her abdominal CT scan revealed acute edematous interstitial pancreatitis with enlarged common bile duct and intrahepatic duct confirming gall stone pancreatitis. Her pregnancy test is negative and she is not breastfeeding.

Clinical trial eligibility criteria: eligible ages (years): 21.0-999.0,  Low Back Pain Age > 21 Chronic axial low back pain without radicular pain for > six months, not responding to at least three months of non-surgical management under the direction of a physician One or two discs at L5/S1, L4/L5 or L3/L4 with abnormal findings by MRI, including any of the following: loss of disc hydration, loss of disc height, high intensity zone (HIZ), Modic changes at adjacent vertebral endplates, or herniation without nerve root compression Subject states that he/she is willing to undergo lumbar spinal fusion, disc replacement, or other definitive treatment if eventual diagnosis supports such treatment Physician believes that discography is clinically indicated for the purpose of surgical decision-making for the subject Pre-treatment low back pain by numerical rating scale (NRS) score > 4 (measured as average in last 24 hours on a 0-10 scale) Pre-treatment Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) > 40 (0 scale) Subject states availability for all study visits Subject is able to understand the risks and benefits of participating in the study and provides written informed consent  Known osteoporosis or osteopenia, metabolic bone disorder, or history of chronic steroid use (the equivalent of 7.5 milligrams of daily prednisone use for > 6 months) Suspected painful disc degeneration (based on clinical examination and MRI findings) outside of L5/S1, L4/L5 or L3/L4 levels MRI shows disc abnormalities (listed in #3) at all 3 lower lumbar discs (L3/L4, L4/L5 and L5/S1) Abnormal neurologic exam attributable to lumbar disc disease, herniation, or lumbar stenosis Back, buttock or pelvic pain suspected to be due to spinal stenosis, spinal fractures, infection, cancer, facet arthropathy or other hip or pelvis pathology Schmorl's node or endplate disruption evident on MRI at L5/S1, L4/L5, or L3/L4 Medical history, physical examination or radiographic evidence (e.g., disc height too narrow) to suggest that either PD or F.A.D. may not be technically feasible Any previous lumbar spine fusion or disc replacement More than grade 1 spondylolisthesis as assessed by x-ray or MRI Significant clinical comorbidity that may potentially interfere with data collection or follow-up (e.g., dementia, severe comorbid illness)