Fix My Back Disc

Frequently Asked Questions

1.What is the intervention?

Intervention consists of an injection of jellified ethanol (alcohol) in the salient part of the intervertebral disc which forms hernia. According to the level of the affected rachis injection is made by postero lateral way in the case of a thoracic or lumbar hernias and by a antero lateral way in case of cervical hernias. The gel keeps the alcohol which does not migrate of the disc and the same alcohol causes drainage of hernia. This drainage is performed by water migration from the bag of hernia towards the internal and central part of the disc, and so releases the pressure on the spinal cord or the nervous root. Having raised medullar / radicular compression main pain disappears very fast. During the weeks following the treatment, feelings of discomfort may persist. These disappear generally in 6 consecutive weeks after DISCOGEL® injection. So that the affected zone is more completely treated, inflammatory can be injected at the level of intervertebral junctions in regard to the treated disc. Recovery is quicker for most of patient.

2.What kind of anesthesia is practiced on this type of procedure?

It is about a light sedation so that the patient remains quiet and is not worried. A local anesthesia is also managed to avoid pain. The patient is tranquilized but remains conscious. Intervention does not call intubations or a general anesthesia and avoids so, potential complications linked to this type of anesthesia.

3.When can I expect recovery after DISCOGEL® intervention?

A symptomatic improvement may occur between 1 by 6 weeks after the injection of DISCOGEL®. While in comparison with the conventional surgery well accomplished, 3 months are necessary.

4.What are results with DISCOGEL®?

According to publication in the «Journal of Spinal Disorders and techniques » Oct. 2007 on and a percutaneous treatment of lumbar intervertebral hernia, the rate of results is considered very good or good for 91.4 % (group A: 202/221 patients).
On patients with complicated hernia which were treated by DISCOGEL® (having a narrow channel, a foraminal hernia, a very painful hernia) belonging to the group B an automated percutaneous discectomy was additionally practiced.
Patients of group C : DISCOGEL® was associated to a treatment by radio frequency. The hit rate in these two last considered groups as very good or good was respectively from 84 % and to 82 %.

5.What is the rate of transformation of the procedure with DISCOGEL® in a conventional surgery?

According to the publication only 0.7 % (2/276 patients) requested a posterior surgery.

6.Does the treatment with DISCOGEL® forbid after an intervention by conventional surgical treatment?

One of the advantages of DISCOGEL®is the conservation of anatomic ostéo-ligamentaire structure of of the rachis. So the option in a conventional surgery always remains opened.

7.What detachment is there on the treatment with DISCOGEL®, which is the Repetition rate?

Over 5 years of monitoring, there were not repetitions.

8.For what is the tungsten of use in DISCOGEL®?

The tungsten is a radio opaque element (opaque to X-rays) used to show “in live” the gel under radioscopy to control the injection of jellified alcohol. Ulterior radiological studies allow determining the site of the intervertebral disc injected and treated by DISCOGEL®.

9. The region of the spine has tendency to generate sticking after a surgical operation, what procreates painful consequences. Does DISCOGEL® minimize this kind of risk?

Yes, absolutely, because this intervention respects the integrity of the spine. Postural muscles around vertebras and are not injured. This minimizes risks of inducing collagen formation and sticking nervous endings of imprisonment which can radiate locally during movements.

10.How long must I stay in the hospital?

Most often, it is about an ambulatory intervention: once arrived at the hospital; a light intervention is performed and the same day it is possible to go back home.

11.After intervention on a cervical disc, is it necessary to carry a surgical collar?

No, because it is necessary to re-develop muscles as much as possible the postural cervical muscles and to induce the resumption of muscular energy in the treated zone by watching not to force during the period of recovery.

12.How long is it possible to take back physical activities?

The reintegration for physical activity (everything depends on type of exercise and individuals, but it is of almost of 3 up to 6 weeks (by comparison with 3 months for a satisfactory classical surgery without consequence).

13.Does the treatment induce an intervertebral disc collapse?

This technique does not affect the height of the intervertebral space and the impact on the anatomy of the spine is conserved.

14.What a herniated (or slipped) disc?

Pain felt by the patient cannot however explain only by a mechanical phenomenon.

Other notably chemical phenomena can intervene and there are many hernias of significant volume which are asymptomatic.

These hernias as a protrusion, can lead to a compression of the nervous roots located in regard to the disc.

According to the level of the herniated disc, clinical expression can be a lumbar pain and/or a radicular pain (cruralgia, sciatic nerve).

Normal intervertebral disc:

It is necessary to know that the spinal cord ends at the level of back vertebra D12. And that at lumbar level this one persists by nervous roots which when they are irritated (by pinch) are the bed of pain.

Common intervetebral disc hernia:

To make easier the understanding of the simplified diagrammes describe main types of hernias met according to the anatomic plan in which they are situated:

In an axial plan:

• Median
• lateral Posterior or Para median
• Foraminal
• Extra foraminal

In sagittal plan hernias are described:

• Ascending
• Descending

Hernia can be:

• Excluded (in relation to the posterior longitudinal ligament)
• Extruded (by definition)
• Protrude (incomplete form of herniated disc)
• Protrue (forme incomplète de hernie discale)

It is possible that a damaged disc is dehydrated. It appears black to imagery. This dehydration of the disc produces an intervertebral packing which can be painful, by crushing of nerves passing between two vertebras