Here at Southern Pain & Neurological of Louisiana, we're constantly looking for the most advanced and minimally invasive treatments to help improve the quality of life of our patients.
That's why we're excited to introduce HydroDiscectomy to patients who come to our clinics in Marrero, Metairie, and Covington. For any patient in the Greater New Orleans area suffering from chronic back pain due to a herniated or slipped lumbar disc, HydroDiscectomy may be an effective treatment option.
What is HydroDiscectomy?
HydroDiscectomy is a treatment method for sufferers of chronic back pain that uses a needle and a high-speed water stream to remove herniated disc tissue, which relieves the nerve pressure that causes back and leg pain.
This procedure is similar to other forms of discectomy, but is the least invasive discectomy technique in the world.
Through the use of a high-velocity fluid-jet instrument (known as SpineJet), we can successfully cut and remove degenerated disc tissue through a needle without the need for a more painful, invasive surgery.
Determining if you're a candidate for HydroDiscectomy
Prior to recommending this procedure, we'll want to perform a series of tests (such as x-rays, discogram, MRIs, and/or CT scans) to determine the location and severity of your herniated disc. HydroDiscectomy can only be used on lumbar discs that have not ruptured into the spinal canal.
Note: If you have a narrowing spinal canal (known as spinal stenosis), we may not be able to perform this procedure on you.
But if you've had lumbar disc pain that has not subsided after four or five weeks of conservative care (physical therapy, pain medication, epidural steroid injections), and have symptoms that are worsening or show signs of nerve damage in the leg, then you are a strong candidate.
What to expect during the procedure
This procedure can be performed in our clinics throughout the Greater New Orleans region. It begins with the use of a fluoroscope, which we use to project live x-ray pictures onto a TV monitor. We use these images to guide us as we place the SpineJet device through a needle within the spinal disc, without the need for a large incision. Because of this approach, our patients are able to stay awake during the procedure and need only local anesthesia or a mild sedative.
Once the device is placed, we'll activate the water-jet stream to quickly remove the herniated disc tissue.
This entire procedure typically takes no more than 20 minutes to complete.
The minimally invasive nature of this treatment method means a far less arduous recovery process. In most cases, our patients can return home the same day of the procedure, but should plan on bed rest with gentle stretching for several days. You may need over-the-counter or prescription pain medication for the first few days.
A week following your procedure you should be able to return to work for light duty work if your job requires heavy lifting or twisting motions then you should be able to return to work in 30 days. You should also avoid prolong bouts of sitting.
HydroDiscectomy Treatment in Greater New Orleans
We're extremely excited to introduce this cutting-edge, minimally invasive needle-based treatment option to our patients in each of our clinics. Please contact our team today to learn more about whether this treatment could be your next step to a better quality of life.