intervertebral disc annuloplasty

Indications

• degenerative disc disease
• repair of a bulging intervertebral disc before
  • prevention of herniated disc

Procedure

• intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty is minimally invasive
• insertion of a hollow needle into the affected disc
• a heating wire is threaded throught the hollow needle & heated to 90 C for ~15 minutes
• the heat is intended to seal any ruptures in the disc wall & may also burn nerve endings, making the region less sensitive to pain

More general terms

• spinal surgery; vertebral surgery