AN ASSESSMENT OF THE POTENTIAL FOR INTRA-DISCAL ELECTROTHERMAL THERAPY (IDET) TO DENERVATE POSTERIOR ANNULAR LESIONS

To assess the potential for IDET to ablate nerve fibres in an experimentally induced peripheral annular lesion.Intradiscal electrothermal therapy (IDET) is being increasingly used as a minimally-invasive treatment for discogenic low back pain, with success reported in up to 70% of cases. One proposed mechanism of IDET is ablation reported in up to 70% of cases. One proposed mechanism of IDET is ablation of nerve fibres in the peripheral annulus. An ovine model was used to assess the innervation of peripheral annular lesions and the potential for IDET to denervate this region of the disc.Postero-lateral annular incisions were made in 32 lumbar discs of 16 sheep. At twelve weeks the sheep underwent IDET at one level and a sham treatment at the other level. IDET was performed using a modified Intradiscal Catheter (SpineCath, Oratec Interventions Inc., Menlo Park, CA). The spines were harvested at intervals up to six months. Histological sections of the discs were stained with H& E and an antibody to the gene...