Interventional Pain Medicine

Pain Medicine of Evangelical offers the Intracept® Procedure for the relief of chronic vertebrogenic low back pain. Intracept is a minimally invasive, implant-free outpatient procedure that’s proven to be safe and to provide long-term pain relief after a single procudure. 

What is vertebrogenic pain?
Vertebrogenic pain is a distinct type of chronic low back pain caused by damage to vertebral endplates, the tissue that covers the top and the bottom of each vertebral body and separates it from the disc. Disc degeneration, and the wear and tear that occurs with everyday living, produces stresses on the endplates that damage them, leading to inflammation and vertebrogenic pain. The basivertebral nerve (BVN), found within the vertebrae, carries pain signals from the inflamed endplates to the brain.

How do patients describe vertebrogenic pain?
The disc and endplate are both part of the anterior spinal column and produce similar low back pain symptoms. However, endplate pain is associated with distinctive changes on routine MRI called Modic changes. Patients who find relief from the Intracept Procedure often describe pain in the middle of their low back that is made worse by physical activity, prolonged sitting, and bending forward or with bending and lifting.¹

How is vertebrogenic pain treated?
The basivertebral nerve (BVN) enters the bone at the back of the vertebral body (the bones in your spine) and “branches” to the endplates (that are located at the top and the bottom of each vertebral body). When endplates are damaged, these nerve endings increase in number and “pick up” pain signals that are then sent to the brain through the BVN. The Intracept® Procedure relieves vertebrogenic pain by heating the basivertebral nerve (BVN) with a radiofrequency probe to stop it from sending pain signals to the brain.

How does the Intracept® Procedure work?
The Intracept Procedure is a minimally invasive, implant free procedure that preserves the overall structure of the spine. The Intracept Procedure is a same-day, outpatient procedure. Patients are under anesthesia, and the procedure generally lasts an hour. The procedure is FDA-cleared and is proven in multiple studies to be safe, effective, and durable. ^2,3

How long does pain relief last following the Intracept® Procedure?
Clinical evidence demonstrates the majority of patients experience significant improvements in function and pain 3-months post procedure that are sustained more than 5 years after a single treatment. ²

How do I know if I’m a candidate for Intracept®?
An interventional pain management specialist can help to determine if the Intracept® Procedure is the right treatment for you. We are committed to promptly and conveniently serving patients and referring providers.

Koreckij T, Kreiner S, Khalil JG, Smuck M, Markman J, Garfin S. Prospective, randomized, multicenter study of intraosseous basivertebral nerve ablation for the treatment of chronic low back pain: 24-month treatment arm results. NASSJ. Published online October 26, 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xnsj.2021.100089.

2 Fischgrund J, Rhyne A, Macadaeg K, et al. Long-term outcomes following intraosseous basivertebral nerve ablation for the treatment of chronic low back pain: 5-year treatment arm results from a prospective randomized double-blind sham-controlled multi-center study. Eur Spine J. 2020;29(8):1925-34. doi.org/10.1007/s00586-020-06448-x

3 Relievant data on file as of January 2023.

At Pain Medicine of Evangelical, our Accurian™ radiofrequency ablation (RFA) system from Medtronic provides the latest state of the art radiofrequency therapy. This low risk procedure can be safely performed in our outpatient pain clinic procedure suite without the need to go to the Hospital. It is a medication-free treatment option and provides an alternative to both pain medications and more invasive surgery.

What is Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)?
Radiofrequency ablation, also known as radiofrequency neurotomy, is a minimally invasive means of interrupting pain signals to provide relief for patients with chronic pain. RFA is commonly performed to treat low back, neck, sacroiliac joint, and knee joint pain. 

How does Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) work?
Radiofrequency ablation targets specific nerves and utilizes heat to turn off their ability to send pain signals. Clinical data demonstrates that radiofrequency treatment can effectively provide long-lasting pain relief.

What happens during Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) treatment?
Radiofrequency ablation is performed by an interventional pain management specialist under fluoroscopic (X-ray) guidance for visualization. Local anesthetic is used to numb the area being treated. A radiofrequency cannula (needle) is guided to the location of each targeted nerve. Electrodes are inserted and stimulation is performed to further ensure safety and accuracy. Electric current heats up a small area of the nerve to interrupt pain signals and both the electrodes and cannulas are removed. The procedure is brief, typically taking a matter of minutes to perform, and does not involve making any surgical incisions.

Is radiofrequency ablation right for you?
An interventional pain management specialist can help to determine if radiofrequency ablation is the right treatment for you. We are committed to promptly and conveniently serving patients and referring providers.

For additional information or to refer a patient, please call Pain Medicine of Evangelical at 570-768-3150.