Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy Treatment for Back Pain

Abstract

The intradiscal electrothermal therapy (IDET) procedure is a minimally invasive technique designed to treat discogenic chronic low back pain. The debate surrounding IDET ranges from the concept of the procedure, the technique and patient selection, to its effectiveness. The procedure provides modest improvement; however, it is considered less invasive and destructive than other modalities of treatments available at the present time, and has lower cost. The effectiveness evidence is limited at the present time, but based on the results of six recently published positive single-arm studies, it appears that patients experienced a perceptible clinical benefit from the IDET procedure. Thus, IDET is recommended in patients with moderate functional impairment, relatively well-maintained disc heights and discogenic pain caused by annular tears or protrusions less than 3–4 mm after the failure of less invasive procedures.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Notes

† Nonsurgical management is the first-line treatment modality and includes medication to reduce swelling or to relieve pain, epidural steroid injection, limits on physical activity, exercises and/or physical therapy, biopsychosocial rehabilitation and a brace/corset for the lower back [82–84].

Adapted and modified from [5] with permission from Pain Physician.

Adapted from [5] with permission from Pain Physician.