Vertebroplasty & Kyphoplasty | Implantable Devices | IDEA | VNUS® Closure®
IDEA
Four out of five American adults experience back pain sometime during their lives. That’s millions of Americans who suffer from chronic back pain and the lost mobility it causes. Back pain is one of the most common (and most costly) ailments in our society. The cost of treating back problems, time lost from work, insurance, therapy and surgery runs into the billions of dollars. Back pain can be a simple nuisance or it can be quite disabling. Fortunately, Dr. Carl C. Balog at Oregon Pain Associates can help with an innovative new procedure called intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty (IDEA). This outpatient procedure, which Dr. Balog performs in the comfort and convenience of his state-of-the-art office, is a great alternative to back surgery because it is minimally invasive. IDEA is appropriate for patients who have tried aggressive, nonsurgical techniques to relieve their pain without success.
The ABC’s of IDEA.
Dr. Balog performs IDEA under X-ray guidance for pinpoint accuracy and safety. A tiny needle is placed into the midportion of the problem disc, and a special wire is then threaded through the needle so that it curves around the sides and back of the internal area of the disc. This wire is then heated to coagulate the small nerves and repair any tears in the disc that cause pain. Most patients who undergo IDEA have had their back pain dramatically reduced, thereby improving their function and their quality of life.
Ask your doctor about IDEA today or call Oregon Pain Associates in Portland or Salem for more information.