Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy (IDET) for Disc-Related Low Back Pain Intradiscal electrothermal therapy (IDET) is a controversial, minimally
invasive treatment for chronic low back pain related to a spinal disc. Before an IDET procedure, you are given a sedative and a local
anesthetic. Using "live" X-ray imaging (fluoroscopy), a doctor inserts a hollow
needle containing a thin flexible tube (catheter) and heating element into the
spinal disc. The catheter is positioned in a circle around the inside of the
disc, and is then slowly heated to about
194°F (90°C). The heat is meant
to kill the nerve fibers and toughen the disc tissue, sealing any small tears.
Antibiotics, either given into a vein (intravenous) or injected into the disc,
are used to prevent a disc infection. ByHealthwise Staff Primary Medical ReviewerWilliam H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Specialist Medical ReviewerKenneth J. Koval, MD - Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Trauma Current as ofMarch 21, 2017 Current as of:
March 21, 2017 Author:
Healthwise Staff Medical Review:
William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine & Kenneth J. Koval, MD - Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Trauma
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