Pain Management Procedures

Kyphoplasty

When vertebrae are broken due to cancer or osteoporosis, kyphoplasty can help stabilize these spinal fractures. It is minimally invasive and requires a bone cement mixture to be injected into the broken areas. Patients often feel pain relief right away and can increase their physical activity.

Symptoms

Osteoporosis symptoms often include back pain, loss of height over time, and fragile bones.

Risk Factors

There are many risk factors that can cause osteoporosis, including age, a family history, body frame size, hormone levels (such as thyroid), low calcium intake, eating disorders, steroid use and excessive alcohol or tobacco consumption.

Before Your Exam

To prepare for kyphoplasty, talk to your radiologist about any medications you are taking and follow their advice on which to stop before the procedure. Refrain from eating or drinking eight hours before.

Time required for your exam

Kyphoplasty typically takes 30 minutes for each spine level treated.

Pain Management Procedures

Facet injections

Facet joint injections are minimally invasive IR procedures that help reduce joint pain. During the procedure, an interventional radiologist performs an image-guided injection of steroids or local anesthetic near the facet joint (joints between two vertebrae) in the spine.

Symptoms

Joint pain, typically caused by arthritis, has these common symptoms: pain, stiffness, swelling, and decreased motion in the joints.

Risk Factors

Risk factors of arthritis are a family history, a previous joint injury, obesity, and age (the older you are, the more at risk).

Before Your Exam

Talk to your radiologist about any medications you are taking and any illness you may have or may have had recently. You may be asked to stop taking NSAIDs and blood thinners several days prior to the procedure. If you have diabetes, monitor your sugar closely on the day of the procedure. You will usually be asked to refrain from eating or drinking several hours beforehand.

Time required for your exam

The facet injection process typically takes between 15 and 30 minutes.

Pain Mangement Procedures

Epidural steroid injections

Epidural steroid injections provide targeted pain relief in a patient’s arm, leg, lower back, and neck. During the procedure, a radiologist uses a live x-ray (fluoroscopy) to guide the needle into the epidural space and inject the steroid. Patients can expect to have temporary numbness in the hours following the procedure but will begin to notice relief in about three days.

Before Your Exam

Talk to your radiologist about any medications you are taking and follow their advice on which are okay to take. You will usually be asked to refrain from eating or drinking several hours before the procedure.

Time required for your exam

An epidural steroid injection procedure typically lasts 15 to 45 minutes.

Pain Mangement Procedures

Nerve blocks

Nerve blocks is another IR procedure that helps with pain management. Peripheral nerve blocks (PNBs) help to create sensory nerve blockage, which can often replace anesthesia in high-risk patients. They can also be used to control pain during and after IR procedures.