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Lower back pain that won’t go away affects millions of individuals worldwide and is notoriously difficult to treat. Intercept is a device that is making waves in this field by safely applying heat to the damaged vertebrae in order to block nerve signals and prevent chronic pain.

The medical company Relievant Medsystems created the intercept, which is based on a minimally invasive treatment that treats a frequent cause of lower back pain. The basivertebral nerve, which connects the spinal cord to the rest of the body, is responsible for transmitting pain along the length of the spine.

What is Radiofrequency Ablation?

Rhizotomy, or radiofrequency ablation, is a noninvasive, nonsurgical method of reducing or halting pain transmission at its source. Ablation, or “burning,” the painful nerve with radiofrequency waves effectively blocks the nerve’s ability to send pain signals to the brain.

Chronic pain and illnesses including spinal arthritis (spondylosis) and sacroiliitis are often treated with this method. It’s also good for relieving pain in the legs, feet, and arms. Radiofrequency ablation has many advantages over traditional surgical procedures, including the absence of downtime, the reduction or elimination of the need for pain medication, the enhancement of function, and the acceleration of the patient’s return to work and other normal activities.

Radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that uses electrical currents to disrupt nerve signals that cause pain. Pain management in Dallas and Neck pain physicians in Dallas commonly use this technique to alleviate chronic pain in the neck, back, and joints.

What About the Results?

From nine months to well over two years, pain alleviation is possible. After radiofrequency ablation, the nerve may regenerate through the burned lesion. If the nerve regrows, it normally takes between six and twelve months after the surgery. When nerve blocks are successful, radiofrequency ablation has a success rate of 70-80%. If necessary, you can do this again.

What are the Risks?

When properly performed, radiofrequency nerve ablation carries a low risk of serious adverse events. In less than 30% of patients, the operation fails to provide any pain relief, and the documented problems include transient worsening of nerve pain, neuritis, neuroma, regional numbness, infection, adverse reaction to drugs used during the surgery, and/or failure to relieve pain.

About the Procedure

A tiny probe is inserted into the impacted vertebra and radio-frequency ablation is used to heat up the basivertebral nerve while the patient is under anesthesia. After about an hour after surgery, the nerve is no longer able to transmit pain signals to the spinal cord and, from there, to the brain.

Intercept’s technology was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2016, and it has since performed well in other clinical trials. Among 140 participants, 31% reported no pain 24 months after treatment. Sixty-nine percent of participants in another study reported a 50% improvement in pain, and 38% reported.

Premier Pain Centers

You can get high-quality medical care at Premier Pain Centers if you've got severe muscle pain. We provide comfort and peace as part of our mission.

Experts at treating serious pain issues, our doctors are highly qualified, skilled, and experienced. With our comprehensive patient care, we offer medical administration, interventional pain management, physical therapy, and therapy management.