Cabell Huntington Hospita is among the first in the Tri-State to offer an innovative approach to provide relief for patients suffering from chronic low back pain (CLBP), specifically called vertebrogenic pain.
Cabell Huntington Hospital's Pain Management Center offers the Intracept® Procedure, an innovative approach to provide relief for patients suffering from chronic low back pain (CLBP), specifically called vertebrogenic pain. This minimally invasive, outpatient procedure targets a nerve located in the vertebrae called the basivertebral nerve (BVN).
During the procedure, Dr. Ghassan T. Moufarrege, board-certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist at the Cabell Huntington Hospital Pain Management Center, advances a specialized probe into the vertebrae and uses radiofrequency energy to heat the BVN, rendering it unable to transmit pain signals to the brain. The Intracept Procedure generally takes an hour to perform and is implant free, preserving the overall structure of the spine.
Of the 30 million people in the U.S. with chronic low back pain, 1 in 6 are likely to have vertebrogenic pain, a distinct type of CLBP caused by damage to vertebral endplates, the interface between the disc and the vertebral body. Disc degeneration, and the wear and tear that occurs with everyday living, produces stresses on the endplates that damage them, leading to inflammation and vertebrogenic pain.
Tri-State area residents interested in learning more about the Intracept Procedure are encouraged to talk with their primary care physician or call the CHH Pain Management Center at 304.526.ACHE (2243) for more information.
Vertebrogenic pain is a distinct type of chronic low back pain caused by damage to vertebral endplates, the tissue that covers the top and the bottom of each vertebral body and separates it from the disc. Disc degeneration, and the wear and tear that occurs with everyday living, produces stresses on the endplates that damage them, leading to inflammation and vertebrogenic pain. The basivertebral nerve (BVN), found within the vertebrae, carries pain signals from the inflamed endplates to the brain.
The disc and endplate are both part of the anterior spinal column and produce similar low back pain symptoms. However, endplate pain is associated with distinctive changes on routine MRI called Modic changes. Patients who find relief from the Intracept Procedure often describe pain in the middle of their low back that is made worse by physical activity, prolonged sitting, and bending forward or with bending and lifting.
The basivertebral nerve (BVN) enters the bone at the back of the vertebral body (the bones in your spine) and “branches” to the endplates (that are located at the top and the bottom of each vertebral body). When endplates are damaged, these nerve endings increase in number and “pick up” pain signals that are then sent to the brain through the BVN. The Intracept® Procedure relieves vertebrogenic pain by heating the basivertebral nerve (BVN) with a radiofrequency probe to stop it from sending pain signals to the brain.
The Intracept Procedure is a minimally invasive, implant free procedure that preserves the overall structure of the spine. The Intracept Procedure is a same-day, outpatient procedure. Patients are under anesthesia, and the procedure generally lasts an hour. The procedure is FDA-cleared and is proven in multiple studies to be safe, effective, and durable.
Clinical evidence demonstrates the majority of patients experience significant improvements in function and pain 3-months post procedure that are sustained more than 5 years after a single treatment.
The Intracept® Procedure is indicated for patients who have had:
The Intracept Procedure, as with any procedure, has risks that should be discussed between the patient and medical provider.