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MedscapeWire

Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy Benefits Low Back Pain

Laurie Barclay, MD

NEW YORK (MedscapeWire) May 06 — Intradiscal electrothermal therapy

(IDET) may be an effective

alternative to spinal fusion or pain management for patients with

chronic low back pain, according to

results of a prospective longitudinal study reported in the May 1

issue of Spine.

" A cohort of patients with chronic discogenic low-back pain who had

failed to improve with

comprehensive nonoperative care demonstrated a statistically

significant improvement in pain, physical

function, and quality of life at 2 years after IDET, " write

A. Saal, MD, and S. Saal, MD, from

SOAR, Physiatry Medical Group in Menlo Park, California.

Of 1116 patients seen for chronic low back pain lasting more than 6

months, 62 failed nonoperative

therapy and elected to have IDET rather than spinal fusion or

chronic pain management. Of these, 58

patients were followed for at least 2 years.

Based on symptom scores, patients treated with IDET had significant

improvement in pain, physical

function, quality of life, and sitting tolerance times. Bodily pain

and physical function scores improved

significantly between 1- and 2-year follow-up evaluations. There

were no complications or adverse

events.

" IDET may represent a minimally invasive option for a select group

of patients with chronic discogenic

[refractory] low back pain...who desire functional improvement but

would prefer to avoid fusion surgery or

long-term opioids, " the authors write.

Spine.2002;27(9):000-000

Reviewed by D. Vogin, MD