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I have just returned from seeing my Colleague, Dr. William H. MD. He is an anesthesiologist who specializes in both Chronic Pain and a 'Modified form of the IDET procedure. He and I are concerned with my worsening neurological examination and my failure to recover enough to even start exercising. I now have 3/4 of an inch loss of left calf size and well as continued loss of sensation in the S1 dermatome. It's time for the 'dreaded' CT Discogram. Its scheduled for three week from today (05/21/03). Dr. H. wants to try 'his form of the IDET'. He wants to do a 'Nucleoplasty' and the 'Annuloplasty' in hopes of shrinking the L5 disc.

I'm a little bit skeptical for I know that the IDET procedure is really NOT intended to treat patients with confirmed radiculopathy and sciatica. Dr. H. states that I've got nothing to lose because It's either this or a Laminectomy / Microdiscectomy. (which is probably true) He is very confident that he can shrink the disc. He told me that 'his technique' is much different than the run of the mill IDET. He first uses a 'Striker' needle to suck a few cc's of the disc center out. Then he use a 'shorter and stronger' needle to deliver a 'microwave' current to the disc rather than the convection type current the traditional IDET uses today. He like his technique better because he is "not at the mercy of the contours of the annulus" and can place the needle where he wants it to go. He states that with the traditional IDET tips you can only guide the needle around the disc but the path the needle takes is dependent upon the contours of the disc. He also feel that the 5 watts are not enough to cause the disc annulus to do much of anything.

I was all for trying this 'radiofrequency nucleoplasy annuloplasty' until my neurosurgeon colleague and friend told me that if this procedure fails he will NOT be able to perform his 'Laminectomy' and micro discectomy' and will be forced to do an anterior fusion. He said that the patients that he has seen who have had 'failed' IDET's almost always need the Fusion because the IDET destroys the disc so the micro discectomy will not work. Ah what to do!!!!!!?????????

In the mean time I have agreed to try his 'Cybex-like' extension exercises in hopes that some muscle tone will stabilize the region. I would love to do exercise but every time I have tried in the past I have flare-up. He also gave me some 'Percocet' which I am to use on a PRN basis.

05-28-03:

I Had my first Med-X workout today. well it was not really a workout. We tested to get my base-level lumbar extensor strength. He said I might be sore tonight and he was right! Damn this leg pain!!! If I was a muskrat I would have gnawed off my leg long ago!!!

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Gillard Chiropractic & Sports Therapy Inc. Hit Counter San Jose, California