Percutaneous spinal facet fusion

The facet joints of the lumbar spine provide stabilty and rotational function which are integral to the ability of humans to move their spines in flexion, extension.lateral bending and rotation. However as the spine ages these joints become progessively degenerated with the superior and inferior articular processes developing bony spurs and losing their degree of flexibility. These changes casue the patient to experience increase pain in the lower back and occasionally down the leg and ultimately require treatment.

The treatmet protocols of the spine commence with conservative measures such as physical therapy and chiropractic care which if unsuccessful in reducing the pain will be followed by the injection of steroids into the spinal column. The therpaeutic step after the facet joint has been definitively diagnosed as a pain generator is the use of a percuatneous placement of a radiofrequency needle for the purposes of ablation of the medial nerve branch that supplies the joint. Should this percutaneous technqiue fail then the next step is the performance of a percutaneous spinal facet fusion.

The development of percutaneous spinal facet fusions systems commeced around 2009 with the creation of screws and bony plugs to stabilise the joint and limit motion.The procedure is carried out under fluroscopic guidance and interpretation which allows the practitioner to safely and effectively place instruments anddevices into the facet joint.

The skin incision is usually no more than 1 cm and the key aspects of the technique require that the physician understand the radiological anatomy in relation to the actual bony configuration of the spine and associated neural structures.

The procedure is carried out on a same day basis and the percutaneous spinal approach is associated with almost zero blood loss and no muscle destruction. It is these advantages that permit the treatment of a condition that was, for many years, either ignored or subjected to the damages of wide aggressive surgical approaches.

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