7 Back Pain Breakthroughs (page 3 of 5)

The Magic Spine Wand

Scientists estimate that about 7 million cases of lower back pain are caused by strain or injury to spinal disks, often striking weekend warriors who overdo it when exercising or tackling home improvement projects. In the past, treating disk-related pain involved physical therapy or epidural steroid injections to reduce inflammation. For serious cases of herniated, or "slipped," disks, patients resorted to surgery, despite the hazards of infection and no guarantee of a cure.

While some patients will still need surgery, doctors have been developing less invasive methods to reduce painful disk pressure on adjacent nerve roots. One of the most advanced decompression techniques, percutaneous diskectomy, involves removing a small amount of tissue from the disk nucleus through a tiny puncture in the skin. Some compare it to releasing air from a bulging tire. Doctors can choose from several recently introduced probes. The Stryker Dekompressor scoops out disk material through a needle, creating a space that draws the disk back to its normal alignment. The ArthroCare SpineWand sends out an electrical charge that creates a highly focused plasma field to vaporize and extract tissue.

With either instrument, the procedure lasts less than an hour, and patients can go home with only a small bandage over the needle insertion site. Best of all, at least two-thirds of appropriately selected patients experience positive results.

"The relief is instantaneous," says Netsere Tesfayohannes, MD, director of the Interventional Pain Management Center at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. "You know right away whether the treatment has worked."

Flexible Fusion for Greater Movement
Each year, some 200,000 Americans with degenerative disk disease undergo spinal fusion surgery. The procedure stabilizes the vertebrae with metal rods and screws to allow a bone graft to fuse the vertebrae together. It can provide dramatic and long-term relief. But there's a price. Spinal fusions limit a patient's range of motion and can require follow-up surgery to alleviate stress on the vertebrae adjacent to the fused area.

But a new process called the Dynesys Dynamic Stabilization System uses bendable materials to provide support and greater movement. The system consists of flexible plastic tubing that surrounds a cord and spacers. During the surgery, doctors attach the device to both sides of the affected vertebrae. "The goal is to restore stability while preserving motion," says Reginald Davis, MD, head of neurosurgery at Greater Baltimore Medical Center, who's performed the surgery more than 200 times. "I've had success with patients from 21 to 75."

The Dynesys system was approved for spinal fusion by the FDA in 2004, but in Europe, where the system has been on the market for a dozen years, it's most commonly used to provide flexible stabilization of the vertebrae without bone fusion. Dr. Davis has joined a study involving 400 U.S. patients to determine its effectiveness for this use. He hopes the study will show the system's ability to restore natural movement -- without the need for follow-up surgery. "In Europe," says Dr. Davis, "the new mantra for treating back pain is, Refuse to fuse."

• • Breakthroughs
• • Common Problems
• Arthritis
• • Stress Relief
• • Back Pain

• Oh, My Aching Back
• Back pain may be common, but that doesn't make it any less bothersome. Find out how to deal with it -- or prevent it in the first place.
• 
• Good News for Migraine Sufferers
• New technology can help those suffering from migraines get ahead of the pain.
• 
• Managing Chronic Pain Without Medication
• How to keep your aching back or trick knee from ruining your life.
• 
• Best Sleeping Positions for Your Back
• Relieve your spine and wake up refreshed!
•