Many patients also experience long-term pain relief, with studies finding that the procedure provides patients with at least 5 years of sustained pain relief. Intracept targets the basivertebral nerve, which is the major nerve running through the bones of the spine. While this can be frustrating for chronic vertebrogenic pain sufferers, the Intracept procedure offers effective, long-lasting results. Many people struggle for years with . If conservative treatments dont provide sufficient relief, ask your doctor for a referral to a spine specialist or make an appointment for yourself with our PM&R or spine experts. NOTE: This blog post provides general information to help the reader better understand regenerative medicine, musculoskeletal health, and related subjects. injury, arthritis, etc. Rather than undergoing major open surgery to reduce your vertebrogenic pain, the Intracept procedure provides the same effective, long-term results with less recovery time. Two small nerves, called medial branch nerves, are connected to the facet joints and send a signal to your brain that there is pain coming from these joints. A maximum of four nerves can be treated at a given time. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) uses heat to destroy tissue. It may take a few weeks to months for complete, noticeable improvements in reducing your pain. The institutions faculty has received six Nobel Prizes, and includes 26 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 17 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 14 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. Yes, the requested health service or procedure is likely to be more beneficial than any standard treatment or treatments for the insured's condition or disease. Here are some of its key benefits. Intracept, a radiofrequency nerve ablation, is the only FDA-approved procedure for vertebrogenic low back pain. A systematic literature review of randomized controlled trials on radiofrequency ablation (RFA)procedures for spinal pain performed by Geurts et al. I recently read a press release about a new low-back-disc-pain RFA treatment (3). Xie E, Garzon-Muvdi T, Bender M, Doshi T, Carson B, Lim M, Bettegowda C. Many surgeries for back pain involve implants, such as screws or plates, but because Intracept uses radiofrequency ablation, no devices are left in the body. Others may have only limited pain relief. Pediatrics, Back and Spine; Most patients can go home on the same day of operation. The full-time faculty of more than 2,900 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. They offer so many different areas of assistance to those with issues from nutrition to spinal surgeryand much more. Definitive clinical and/or imaging findings pointing to a specific diagnosis other than facet joint syndrome Diagnostic injections or MMB at the same level as the previously successful RFA procedure Radiofrequency ablation is not considered a surgery. The intervention involves ablating the BVN to block afferent signals from the damaged site back to the brain while the central spinal cord, from which other nerves emanate, remains intact. Consensus practice guidelines on interventions for lumbar facet joint pain from a multispecialty, international working group. In other words, the Intracept procedure does not treat all forms of back pain, only vertebrogenic pain. In July 2016, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a radiofrequency ablation device* that targets the basivertebral nerve for the treatment of chronic low back pain. Just like other parts of the body, the vertebral endplates are vulnerable to deterioration and nerve damage. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive procedure that is performed at a doctor's office or a hospital. In a few steps, see if you may benefit from the procedure, and connect with an Intracept-trained physician near you. The probe generates heat, which burns the nerve and disrupts pain signals before they can branch out and reach the brain. Your physician will use real-time fluoroscopic X-ray guidance to access the painful vertebrae with a small introducer needle. Once ablated, the nerve will no longer transmit a pain signal. Intracept targets the major nerve that runs through the vertebrae, known as the basivertebral nerve. Yes, the health plan should cover the proposed treatment. Criteria Basivertebral nerve ablation from L3 through S1 may be considered medically necessary when ALL of the following criteria have been met: TheUniversityofTexasSouthwesternMedicalCenter, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, Texas 75390 Phone 214-648-3111, Intracept is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure that uses radiofrequency ablation to target and deaden the nerves responsible for vertebrogenic low back pain. It's an option when conservative treatments aren't enough. The study, which involved 225 patients with axial chronic low back pain, showed significantly greater improvement in ODI score in the ablation arm (n=147) compared to the sham arm (n=78; P= 0.019).In addition, 75.6% of patients treated with the Intracept System had a 10-point improvement in pain and associated disability at 3-month followup. Radiofrequency neurotomy in chronic lumbar and sacroiliac joint pain: A meta-analysis. The RF ablation procedure consisted of thermal ablation of the BVN using a transpedicular delivery system (Intracept System, Relievant Medsystems, Sunnyvale, CA, USA). Rest when you get home. The Intracept Procedure Intraosseous Nerve Ablation System is intended to be used in conjunction with radiofrequency (RF) generators for the ablation of basivertebral nerves of the L3 through S1 vertebrae for the relief of chronic low back pain of at least six months duration that has not responded to at least six months of conservative care, and is also accompanied by features consistent with Type 1 or Type 2 Modic changes on an MRI such as inflammation, edema, vertebral endplate changes, disruption and fissuring of the endplate, vascularized fibrous tissues within the adjacent marrow, hypointensive signals (Type 1 Modic change), and changes to the vertebral body marrow including replacement of normal bone marrow by fat, and hyperintensive signals (Type 2 Modic change). If the diagnostic block doesnt provide significant relief, you may not benefit from RFA. The Intracept procedure is also a one-time procedure that does not need to be repeated, giving patients long-lasting, effective results they can count on. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) may be right for you if have: You may not be a candidate for radiofrequency ablation if you: Your healthcare provider will review your medical and medication history and ask you questions about your pain. The Intracept Radiofrequency Probe is inserted into the curved path and placed at the basivertebral nerve 4. For some people, the relief lasts a few years. Heating the nerve stops or reduces pain signals from reaching your brain. Rather than modifying your life around your pain symptoms, the Intracept procedure spine treatment provides safe, effective, and long-lasting results that can significantly improve your quality of life. Have severe pain, redness or swelling at the needle insertion site. Valley Pain Consultants is one of the few groups in the Phoenix metropolitan area to offer this treatment. Chronic pain caused by conditions including arthritis of the spine (. The Intracept procedure is a safe and effective procedure that provides long-term pain relief. New Patient Appointment Using a minimally-invasive, transpedicular approach, the procedure aims to relieve pain associated with chronic low back pain by denervating the nociceptive (pain-sensing) nerves within the vertebral body via radiofrequency ablation. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) uses heat to destroy tissue. Most Commonly Treated Areas: Neck (cervical facet) Mid-back (thoracic facet) Low back (lumbar facet . He keeps up to date with the latest treatment options, will sacrifice time no matter how many are in the waiting room to listen and explain. Dr. Rao. Given that almost all of our chronic spine patients who were getting RFA have now been switched to platelet or stem-cell-based treatments, its a question Ill never be able to definitively answer. Approximately 80% of people will experience low-back pain at some point in their lives, and 20% of those people develop chronic low-back pain, meaning it lasts 12 weeks or longer. What is actually done? While the Intracept procedure targets pain coming from the endplate, he cautioned that many patients have more than one source of back pain, including joint pain and disc pain, that would require other treatments. However, as with any injection procedure, there is always a chance of developing side effects or other complications. Providers listed on the Regenexx website are for informational purposes only and are not a recommendation from Regenexx for a specific provider or a guarantee of the outcome of any treatment you receive. However, its important to understand some potential disadvantages cannot be ignored. This is an outpatient procedure performed under anesthesia. Not every patient who meets these criteria is a candidate for the Intracept Procedure, however in fact, there are specific characteristics indicating a patient should not be considered for the procedure. hbbd```b``3@$SdYwTE``LR`rdT\Q c?d?d`d?w ? Radiofrequency waves ablate, or "burn," the nerve that is causing the pain, essentially eliminating the transmission of pain signals to the brain. Intracept treats focal low back pain that occurs from degeneration of the intervertebral discs causing vertebrogenic back pain. Various signs and symptoms can point to vertebrogenic pain, including: Chronic low back pain (oftentimes in the middle of the lower back), Pain that worsens with physical activity, sitting, bending, or lifting. Rather than ignoring your pain hoping it will go away on its own or modifying your life around your pain, there are various nonsurgical and surgical treatment options available to help better manage your pain symptoms. New treatment for low back pain: minimally invasive procedure receives FDA clearance. The intracept procedure is a new minimally invasive surgical procedure that is clinically proven to drastically decrease chronic low back pain up to 24 months. Almost no steroid injections were necessary in the year following the ablation. These contraindications include being pregnant, having weakened cardiac or pulmonary function, having an implanted electronic medical device in the body (such as a pacemaker or defibrillator), being diagnosed with a systemic or local infection, or having an anatomy that could be damaged unintentionally while ablating the basivertebral nerve (based on your physicians clinical review). At the end of his story, Mr. Daly mentions he had a four-month appeal process, but he said the time and effort were well worth it. Search Conditions & Treatments Today we know that low-back pain can also originate inside the vertebrae specifically from the nerves in the vertebral endplates, where the bone meets the discs. Whats fascinating in RFA is that, at least in the neck, I still cant find a single study where someone has looked at this issue long-term (i.e., what happens to the neck joints of long-term-treated RFA patients).