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Team of experts
PD Dr. med. Patrick Hein (MD)
Dr. med. Philipp Remplik (MD)
Dr. med. Martin Schwarz (MD)
Dr. med. Martin Strauswald (MD)
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Spinal pain therapy
Facet joint injection and periradicular therapy (PRT)
Chronic back pain is a common disorder. Its treatment is often difficult and lengthy. Micro-invasive spinal pain therapy provides good results. In this procedure, very thin needles are placed exactly and selectively on the site where pain develops or in the irritated nerve, and pain-killing drugs such as local anaesthetics and cortisone are administered through them. A much smaller quantity of agent is required compared to systemic pain therapy during which drugs are usually taken in the form of tablets. Thus possible side effects (of tablets) can be avoided.
CT-guided, minimally invasive pain therapy
The indication for CT-guided puncture is assessed and a suitable procedure is selected by the referring colleague (your orthopaedist or pain therapist) and our radiologists in an interdisciplinary cooperation.
- Periradicular infiltration PRT (“around the nerve root”)
- Epidural infiltration: into the nerve sheath space
- Intracapsular infiltration: into the joint cavity (e.g. facet joint infiltration, Infiltration of sacroiliac joints)
After comfortable positioning on the examination table, a localisation scan (low-dose technology) is performed which plans the ideal access path and marks the puncture site. After skin disinfection, sterile covering and local anaesthetisation if necessary, a special thin hollow needle, through which the pain-killing drug is administered, is placed to millimetric accuracy. The procedure itself only takes a few minutes followed by short break. In individual cases (epidural infiltration), it may be necessary to mark the epidural space with a small quantity of iodinated contrast agent.
Special preparation is not required. If earlier images or earlier diagnostic findings (MRI, CT) are available, please bring them with you to the examination. Please inform us too if you take anticoagulants (e.g. aspirin, Marcumar), or if a coagulation disorder or an allergy is known. Determination of your current coagulation parameters is recommendable.
All punctures can also be performed as a same-day surgical procedure. First we explain the intervention, the respective procedure, possible risks and side effects as well as your optimum behaviour after surgery to you during a detailed consultation.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT PAIN THERAPY?
We will be happy to advise you.
Call us on: tel.: +49 (0)89 550 59-60
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