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Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy
What is Intradiscal Electrothermal Annuloplasty?The IDET procedure is performed as an outpatient surgery and patients generally are up and around immediately after the operation. The procedure takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour to perform and is usually done under fluoroscopy to better visualize the interior of the body. The surgeon inserts a thin catheter directly into the bulging disc and then heats up the nucleus pulposus. This direct heat burns off some of the collagen molecules inside the disc nucleus, reducing pressure on the annulus fibrosus and causing the herniation to shrink in size. Once the required amount of nucleus material has been treated effectively, the small incision is closed and the patient is free to go home.Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy IndicationsThis surgical solution is used only for contained disc herniations in which the annulus fibrosus remains completely intact. The doctor must rule out a ruptured disc or noticeable annular tear in order for this procedure to remain effective. This procedure is older than the newer and improved nucleoplasty version. Although IDET is more common than nucleoplasty, I prefer the latter if a choice has to be made. Remember, this might be a less invasive operation than open spinal surgery, but it is a surgery, nonetheless. All herniated disc surgeries should be a last resort once all possible conservative treatment modalities have failed. I would recommend non-surgical spinal decompression virtually every time when compared to any type of surgical intervention.Surgeons also use IDET to treat discogenic pain in some patients. In these cases, symptoms are thought to exist due to nerves entering the disc through tiny annular tears. This is a speculative use, but is growing in acceptance since the procedure is easy, fast and highly profitable... Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy AdviceThe IDET technique demonstrates acceptable results for relieving some types of disc pain, although numerous doctors feel this might be due to the placebo effect in some patients. This technique is usually used to treat mild to moderate disc bulges, which are typically not chronically symptomatic. I investigated this procedure, as well as many others, during my time with back pain. I hoped I would never have to endure any invasive treatment and luckily, I did not… My cure came from an unlikely source…Rather than a spinal surgery, the end to my pain came from good old common sense focused in the form of knowledge therapy. This treatment taught me the facts about herniated discs and why surgery is usually a poor curative option. If you are considering IDET or any surgical technique, consider your options carefully, since these operations can often do more harm than good. 7/27/09 Revised 12/7/09
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