What spine conditions can be treated with direct visual rhizotomy surgery?

• January 11, 2020

Fusion surgery is the last treatment choice for most people with chronic back pain. That’s because fusion surgery is invasive and requires long recovery times. However, not all surgeries are this way. Some procedures, such as direct visualized rhizotomy, are quick and ultra-minimally invasive.

Direct visualized rhizotomy is a procedure that treats conditions that cause painful joints in the spine. The procedure works by severing the nerve branches in swollen facet joints affected by spinal conditions. Similar to a root canal in your mouth, direct visual rhizotomy can reduce pain but still leave the joints intact.

Direct visualized rhizotomy is ultra-minimally invasive because the incision is less than the width of a paper clip, and the surgeon does not cut through any muscle or soft tissues. The tools used in the procedure are small and precise, and the procedure is completed in about 30 minutes.

Most direct visualized rhizotomy patients can walk within an hour of the surgery, and many are able to return to work the next day. Direct visualized rhizotomy is not right for everybody though. Doctors like those at Phoenix Spine & Joint can examine your condition and determine if direct visual rhizotomy is right for you.

What conditions does direct visual rhizotomy treat?

Osteoarthritis of the spine is the most common condition that surgeons treat with direct visualized rhizotomy. This disease damages the cartilage in your bones and joints. It causes the joints to become painful. The pain can be severe. If your back pain does not go away after 12 weeks, its not likely to go away without medical treatment.

Osteoarthritis is not the only condition that direct visual rhizotomy can treat. It may also be used for:

• Chronic lower back pain
• Sacroiliac joint disorder
• Back spasms related to swollen joints
• Ineffective radiofrequency ablation treatments

Not everyone with these conditions is a good candidate for direct visualized rhizotomy. Doctors will examine the condition of your spine and review your medical history to determine if direct visual rhizotomy can help you.

Contact Phoenix Spine & Joint for direct visualized rhizotomy surgery

Our team at Phoenix Spine & Joint has a high success rate in performing direct visualized rhizotomy procedures. Most of our patients are able to walk within an hour after surgery, and no one has been infected in our facilities. Would you like to talk to one of our patient care coordinators about direct visualized rhizotomy? Contact our team today to ask us any questions about direct visual rhizotomy or schedule a free second opinion.