Management of Low Back Pain with IDET procedure

Approximately 65-85% of the United States population will be affected by low back pain at some time in their life. It is one of the leading causes of lost work time, second only to the common cold. Most often low back pain is as a result of a strain, sprain, muscle spasm, poor ergonomic environment, or degenerative changes. Lumbar disc herniations may also cause a significant amount of back and leg pain. Rest, anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy, and injection therapy are usually beneficial.

With degenerative changes or injury, fissures may form in the wall of the intervertebral disc. The inner disc tissue (nucleus) will frequently bulge (herniate) into these fissures in the outer region of the disc producing chronic pain. Intradiscal Electrothermal therapy (IDET) is a minimally invasive procedure in which controlled levels of thermal energy (heat) are applied to a broad section of the affected disc wall. This heat contracts and thickens the collagen of the disc wall. Therapy may result in contraction of the disc wall fissures or a reduction in the bulge of the inner disc material.