RadioActive Treatment burns nerves?
MPS4me posted:
My little cousin is having a procedure done on Monday to have the nerves in her back burned off. She says it is a radioactive procedure that offers 6 mos of pain relief, after the initial 2 wks recovery time. Has anyone else heard of this procedure? What is it called? Can it help people with MPS?4 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:RadioActive Treatment burns nerves?<img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/confused.gif" align="top" border="0">
My little cousin is having a procedure done on Monday to have the nerves in her back burned off. She says it is a radioactive procedure that offers 6 mos of pain relief, after the initial 2 wks recovery time. Has anyone else heard of this procedure? What is it called? Can it help people with MPS?
TheBJP responded:
I believe you are referring to a procedure that's involving radio frequency, not radioactive or radiation. I may be wrong, maybe your cousin is involved with something new or experimental. I've heard that radio frequency lesion or ablation can work for 6 months, 1 year, or some times permanently depending on the treatment, surgeon, place of pain, type of procedure, etc. I've also talked to a chiro who had unsatisfied patients (continual muscle spasms) as well as a surgical assistant who reported the same.
On wcbstv.com they have something in their video libraries, if you search "back pain", which they talk to a Dr who does one of these treatments in a specific way that is supposedly different.
Good luck to your little cousin and I hope the best will happen.
On wcbstv.com they have something in their video libraries, if you search "back pain", which they talk to a Dr who does one of these treatments in a specific way that is supposedly different.
Good luck to your little cousin and I hope the best will happen.
Report This| Share this:RadioActive Treatment burns nerves?I believe you are referring to a procedure that's involving radio frequency, not radioactive or radiation. I may be wrong, maybe your cousin is involved with something new or experimental. I've heard that radio frequency lesion or ablation can work for 6 months, 1 year, or some times permanently depending on the treatment, surgeon, place of pain, type of procedure, etc. I've also talked to a chiro who had unsatisfied patients (continual muscle spasms) as well as a surgical assistant who reported the same. <br><br>On wcbstv.com they have something in their video libraries, if you search "back pain", which they talk to a Dr who does one of these treatments in a specific way that is supposedly different. <br><br>Good luck to your little cousin and I hope the best will happen.
cweinbl responded:
"MP$4me," the procedure is called a rhyzotomy (also called "radio frequency ablation" or " spinal nerve root denervation"). It is NOT radioactive. But, it is performed under radiological instrumentation (like fluoroscopy). The physician inserts a large-diameter needle into the the thecal area, near a spinal nerve root. Electricity is then used to destroy the nerve root. The high temperature achieved in this process has led people to call it "burning" a nerve root.
This process is typically quite painful, because very little anesthesia is used. The reason for this is because the physician needs the patient alert enough to describe how it feels during portions of the procedure. Therefore, only a small amount of local anesthetic is employed; and that is used only near the surface of the skin.
The success rate for a rhyzotomy is about 50-60%. It is somewhat higher for patients who have not had prior spine surgery. This and many other spinal procedures is described in the most comprehensive recent research here www.painphysicianjournal.com/2009/july/2009;12;699-802.pdf.
The morbidity associated with a rhyzotomy is low. There is risk of nerve root impingement. And, as I mentioned, it is quite painful. But, the risk of complication is low. BTW, I had one many years ago. The result was a significant INCREASE in pain that lasted about a year.
This process is typically quite painful, because very little anesthesia is used. The reason for this is because the physician needs the patient alert enough to describe how it feels during portions of the procedure. Therefore, only a small amount of local anesthetic is employed; and that is used only near the surface of the skin.
The success rate for a rhyzotomy is about 50-60%. It is somewhat higher for patients who have not had prior spine surgery. This and many other spinal procedures is described in the most comprehensive recent research here www.painphysicianjournal.com/2009/july/2009;12;699-802.pdf.
The morbidity associated with a rhyzotomy is low. There is risk of nerve root impingement. And, as I mentioned, it is quite painful. But, the risk of complication is low. BTW, I had one many years ago. The result was a significant INCREASE in pain that lasted about a year.
Report This| Share this:RadioActive Treatment burns nerves?"MP$4me," the procedure is called a rhyzotomy (also called "radio frequency ablation" or " spinal nerve root denervation"). It is NOT radioactive. But, it is performed under radiological instrumentation (like fluoroscopy). The physician inserts a large-diameter needle into the the thecal area, near a spinal nerve root. Electricity is then used to destroy the nerve root. The high temperature achieved in this process has led people to call it "burning" a nerve root. <br><br>This process is typically quite painful, because very little anesthesia is used. The reason for this is because the physician needs the patient alert enough to describe how it feels during portions of the procedure. Therefore, only a small amount of local anesthetic is employed; and that is used only near the surface of the skin. <br><br>The success rate for a rhyzotomy is about 50-60%. It is somewhat higher for patients who have not had prior spine surgery. This and many other spinal procedures is described in the most comprehensive recent research here <a rel=nofollow href=http://www.painphysicianjournal.com/2009/july/2009>www.painphysicianjournal.com/2009/july/2009</a>;12;699-802.pdf. <br><br>The morbidity associated with a rhyzotomy is low. There is risk of nerve root impingement. And, as I mentioned, it is quite painful. But, the risk of complication is low. BTW, I had one many years ago. The result was a significant INCREASE in pain that lasted about a year.
MPS4me responded:
Thank you both for your responses. I am sure that you are right about the procedure not being "radioactive" lol! My cousin is very young, and I'm sure that she probably mis-heard "radio-frequency" for "radioactive". I am sorry to hear that it is such a painful procedure though, and also sorry to hear that it actually increased your pain cweinbl. I do hope that she has a better outcome for sure, and I will be praying for her. This poor girl...like many of us...still has not been able to achieve a definitive diagnosis for her pain, only speculation from the many doctors she has seen, and is in her early 20s.
Report This| Share this:RadioActive Treatment burns nerves?Thank you both for your responses. I am sure that you are right about the procedure not being "radioactive" lol! My cousin is very young, and I'm sure that she probably mis-heard "radio-frequency" for "radioactive". I am sorry to hear that it is such a painful procedure though, and also sorry to hear that it actually increased your pain cweinbl. I do hope that she has a better outcome for sure, and I will be praying for her. This poor girl...like many of us...still has not been able to achieve a definitive diagnosis for her pain, only speculation from the many doctors she has seen, and is in her early 20s.
kczyblnd41 replied to MPS4me's response:
I am 52 yrs old and 2 yrs ago had the lumbar fusion still have pain. But I went over 12 yrs back and forth to doctors and no one would listen !!! Finally they discovered it was degeneritive disc disease and arthiritis ! Hope this procedure works for her. My doctor just mentioned this procedure to me now not sure I would want to have it done. Gotta think on this one I really don't want more pain. would rather do the injections about every 6 months epidural or steroid have had 2 series of these and seems to ease it somewhat but not enough . They do not believe you when you say you have back pain and I have NEVER asked for an opiate pain killer don't care what it is as long as it helps. Don't really want percocet etc. use tramadol anyway good luck to your cousin!! I will keep her in my prayers just noticed this was 3 yrs ago. How is your cousin? did it help?
Report This| Share this:RadioActive Treatment burns nerves?I am 52 yrs old and 2 yrs ago had the lumbar fusion still have pain. But I went over 12 yrs back and forth to doctors and no one would listen !!! Finally they discovered it was degeneritive disc disease and arthiritis ! Hope this procedure works for her. My doctor just mentioned this procedure to me now not sure I would want to have it done. Gotta think on this one I really don't want more pain. would rather do the injections about every 6 months epidural or steroid have had 2 series of these and seems to ease it somewhat but not enough . They do not believe you when you say you have back pain and I have NEVER asked for an opiate pain killer don't care what it is as long as it helps. Don't really want percocet etc. use tramadol anyway good luck to your cousin!! I will keep her in my prayers just noticed this was 3 yrs ago. How is your cousin? did it help?
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