Published on September 29, 2024
The spine is made up of a series of bones called vertebrae. Each of these bones is connected by a disc, which is made up of a tough outer layer and rings. In the center is a gel-like substance called the nucleus.
If the annulus of a disc is damaged by injury or weakened by age, part of the outer layer may yield from the pressure. This may cause the gelatinous core to bulge or leak
go out. This is called a herniated or herniated disc.
A herniated disc can compress a nerve, causing pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in the back and/or legs. Up to 50% of low back pain may be caused by damaged, torn, or herniated discs.
In the past, these conditions were often treated with conservative measures including rest, medications, injections, and/or physical therapy. Unfortunately, this approach doesn’t always relieve stress.
Patients who do not respond often have to tolerate their symptoms or consider major spinal surgery. Recovery from surgery can take weeks or months, often causing significant disruption to patients and their families.
Disc-FX® provides an option for patients who have failed conservative treatments and are not ready for major surgery. This is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure. Patented Disc-FX® relieves disc pressure without the need for open surgery.
The Disc-FX® System is designed to effectively access damaged discs without causing harm to surrounding disc anatomy. Disc-FX decompresses the disc and seals tears in the annulus. Benefits of this program may include:
• Outpatient procedures
• Short operation time
• Rapid relief of symptoms
• Return to normal activities as soon as possible
• Preserve future surgical options
(if necessary)
To determine if you are a candidate, the medical evaluation will include a physical examination and diagnostic testing (such as an MRI or discogram). Disc-FX may not be beneficial in severely degenerated discs with excessive height loss.
Dr. Jonathan Daitch, a board-certified pain management physician, will evaluate and determine if you are a candidate.
Procedure time for the Disc-FX System is 30-45 minutes and requires minimal anesthesia. Through a small incision, the narrow introducer/working channel is advanced to the disc herniation. In this way, the doctor can remove and decompress the problematic hernia.
Finally, if needed, any tears in the back of the disc can be heated to seal the tear.
If there is adequate disc height, this can be a highly effective way to eliminate leg pain or sciatica. Leg pain usually goes away within a few days.
You will need to wear a back brace for the first four weeks to prevent the disc material from re-herniating through the small opening in the disc.
As this is a surgical procedure, expect a fair amount of pain for the first 2-3 weeks. You will be given plenty of pain medication to help you. Avoid bending, lifting, or twisting for the first 2-3 weeks, and do not lift more than a gallon of milk (approximately 8 pounds). You should not drive during the first week, but you can sit in the car.
After one week, you can resume sedentary tasks over the next five weeks. We will then add physical therapy and improve your ability to work. Back pain will continue to decrease over the next 4-6 weeks.
When conservative treatments fail to provide adequate relief from herniated discs, DiscFX provides an option that can help many patients avoid or delay open surgery while restoring a higher level of comfort and mobility.
