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Annuloplasty or Intradiscal Electrothermal procedure (IDET) |
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What is an annuloplasty/IDET procedure?
Annuloplasty/IDET is a percutaneous (through the skin) technique
requiring only a puncture site. A special thermal wire probe is
inserted into the disc under fluoroscopic control. The probe heats the
inside of the disc for approximately 15 minutes. As this occurs, it is
believed that the painful micro-fissures in the outer portion (annulus)
of the disc seal over and the tiny sensory nerve endings that supply
the disc are desensitized. In addition, over the next three months, the
collagen bonds in the annulus tighten and the disc is ultimately
remodeled into a more stable, less painful form.
Who benefits from this procedure?
IDET is commonly used for low back pain secondary to degenerative
disc disease, but only after a discogram has validated the disc as the
source of pain. This procedure reliably reduces pain in a select group
of patients without undergoing a high-risk open operation, such as
lumbar fusion. The procedure is done on an outpatient basis and of low
risk.
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