Ultrasound Guided Nerve And Scar Tissue Hydro-Dissection

Category: Back Pain | Author: Stefano Sinicropi

Spine-Surgery-Patient

A compressed or misfiring nerve is a common cause of back pain, and thankfully spine specialists have a number of ways to treat these nerve issues. When conservative methods fail, a minimally invasive operation may become necessary. There are a variety of operations that may help provide spinal nerve pain relief, and one of those is what’s known as ultrasound guided hydro-dissection. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at how ultrasound guided hydro-dissection can provide spinal nerve and scar tissue pain relief.

Hydro-Dissection For Spinal Nerve Pain

Hydro-dissection can be the perfect solution for patients whose spine pain derives from nerve pain that has adhered to nearby scar tissue or other compressing tissues. The procedure is relatively straightforward and can oftentimes be completed in 30 minutes or less.

With the assistance of ultrasound technology to help the surgeon navigate to the precise location, the surgeon inserts a needle into the area right next to the affected nerve. Once the needle is in place, they will inject a small amount of solution (oftentimes a platelet-rich plasma or 5% dextrose solution into the area around the compressed nerve). This solution surrounds the nerve and pretty quickly helps to release it from the compressing adhesions or scar tissue. It’s very important that the surgeon releases the solution around the nerve instead of inside the nerve so that the solution can connect with the adhered locations and allow for nerve release.

One of the best things about hydro-dissection of compressed spinal nerves is that pain relief is typically immediate. Many patients report that their pain is gone once the surgery has been completed. It’s also possible that this is due to the fact that the affected nerve may be numbed as a result of the solution that has been administered, but once the nerve is freed from its compression, patients often notice a decrease or elimination of pain symptoms.

Nerve hydro-dissection is a common tool used to combat nerve compression in all areas of the spine, including the cervical, thoracic or lumbar spinal segments. It can also be used to calm nerve compressions in areas that work in close proximity to the spine, like your shoulder or hips. It can even help to treat compressed nerves in other body parts, like in the wrist as a result of carpal tunnel syndrome.

There are a lot of benefits and few risks associated with the procedure, making it a preferred option when the patient is presenting with the correct issue. For example, a nerve that is being compressed by a shifted spinal disc would not benefit from the procedure, but a patient who has developed nerve entrapment as a result of scar tissue formation would be an ideal candidate. With its quick and long-lasting pain relief, and its ability to naturally wean people off long-term opioids for nerve pain, it’s a great option for the right patient. Recovery time is measured in days, not weeks, so many people can return to work or physical activities only days after the procedure has been completed.

So if you’ve been diagnosed with nerve pain, or you’re wondering if a scar tissue issue is contributing to your spinal nerve pain, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi to see if you’d be an ideal candidate for this simple and effective procedure. For more information, reach out to his office today.

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