Radioguided infiltrations

Low back and radicular pain may in selected cases respond to non-surgical treatments.

• Facet infiltrations.
• Cervical and lumbar spine rhizolysis.
• Foraminal infiltrations.

Pain in the spine (cervical, dorsal, lumbar) is an extremely frequent problem in the adult population, constituting one of the main causes of sick leave.

These ailments interfere in a very important way in the activities of daily life, at a personal level of the sufferer, but also at a family and social level.

On many occasions it is associated with pain radiating to the extremities, which may be due to compression of the nervous elements that pass through the spine.

Treatments without surgery

It is essential to study and evaluate each case in order to select those patients who, after responding inadequately to conservative treatment, may benefit from percutaneous treatment.

In some cases, back pain can be solved without surgical intervention. These image-guided treatments can solve the problem avoiding the need for surgical treatment.

What is an image-guided spinal infiltration?

At BSI we are used to select these cases, starting with an exhaustive anamnesis and clinical examination, which together with the complementary explorations that are indicated, allows us to offer with guarantees therapies that can help eliminate pain in the least aggressive way possible.

In any case, a thorough examination by a professional team is essential.

Types of radioguided infiltrations

Facet infiltration

A facet infiltration, also known as a facet joint block or facet joint injection, is a minimally invasive procedure in which your spine specialist injects a small amount of local anesthetic and/or medication into a facet joint to relieve pain.

The procedure is usually performed under image intensifier (Rx scopy) guidance to guide the placement of the injection into the facet joint.

The injection itself only takes a few minutes, but the entire procedure usually takes fifteen to thirty minutes. It is performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia (or sedation if the patient requires it) and the patient can return to work while maintaining relative rest for the first 24 hours.

The procedure can be diagnostic (a test to see if the pain is coming from this area) and/or therapeutic (to relieve the pain).

Facet infiltration is a safe, low-risk technique in which complications are rare and uncommon (infection, nerve damage and bleeding).

Rhizolysis

Rhizolysis, also known as radiofrequency lesioning, is a minimally invasive procedure that involves the use of radiofrequency energy using high-frequency electromagnetic waves or radiation to damage the nerve supplying the facet joint, interrupting the transmission of painful signals.

As with facet infiltrations, it is performed under image intensifier guidance (Rx scopy) to guide the placement of the injection into the joint.

The procedure is usually performed when medial branch blocks have been shown to produce significant pain relief for a short period of time.

Like facet infiltrations, it is a safe procedure in which complications (infection, nerve damage and bleeding) are rare and uncommon.

Foraminal infiltration

A foraminal infiltration is a medical procedure that involves injecting an anti-inflammatory medication based on cortisone crystals directly into contact with the nerve whose irritation is causing the pain to reduce inflammation and relieve pain in the affected nerve root.

Injection is usually performed under image intensification (Rx scopy) to ensure accurate needle placement.

The procedure is commonly used to treat radicular pain caused by foraminal stenosis, which is a narrowing of the openings in the spine through which nerves pass.

The risks associated with foraminal infiltrations are generally low and uncommon, but may include infection, nerve injury and bleeding.