LOW BACK PAİN AND İTS TREATMENT — ALGOLOGY — EPİDUROSCOPY

Nonsurgical procedures that can be administered to patients with cronic low back pain, such as epiduroscopy, RF (radiofrequency), transforaminal injections or facet cauterization/injection, constitute the main subjects of today’s pain science, i.e. algology. Such treatment procedures intended for low back pain are carried out by neurosurgeons, anesthesiologist, and orthopedists.

We can usually administer epiduroscopy to patients who have severe pain due to adhesions that occurred after a previous surgical operation (herniated lumbar disc surgery), which could not be cured despite a long-term drug use, and could not be relieved with physical therapy and other conservative procedures.

The procedure is performed locally, and initially the anesthesiologist gives the patient a mild sedation through anesthesia, with intent to ensure a pain-free operation. The active process of the procedure takes 15 minutes; however, the overall procedure is completed within a period of 30 minutes, with the processes of positioning, cleaning, and sterilization of the patient.

The patient is discharged on the same day or the next morning if he/she wants. In the literature, it has been reported that 80 in every 100 patients can get rid of their pain within 1 year, by means of this procedure. The patient discharged from the hospital can immediately take a bath because the procedure does not involve medical dressing. A 1-week rest is recommended.