Decades of chronic back pain caused Scott Humphries to abandon the activities that once brought him joy and fulfillment until he underwent the Intracept Procedure™. Dr. Garrett Bennett offers insight into how this minimally invasive therapy works and how patients like Scott can benefit.
His pain story
Scott's back struggles began with a weightlifting accident in his twenties. He'd undergone two previous surgeries, which offered temporary relief, but not long after each, the debilitating pain returned.
"There were times when I would have to have help getting dressed because I couldn't get my socks on," Scott said, describing how the pain disrupted even routine tasks. "I couldn't sit at the piano bench and play for more than five minutes. I couldn't really cook either. I love to cook, but I couldn't stand at the stove."
Although he tried to limit activities that caused his pain to flare up, his condition continued to worsen. The latest episode occurred while he was at work, when he attempted to stand but couldn't move. "The rescue squad had to come get me and take me to Parkview."
Straight to the source
After imaging and diagnostic tests, Scott's care team determined his back pain was coming from the vertebral bodies, and they suggested that he would be a good fit for the Intracept Procedure. Low back pain has many different causes, but this intervention specifically targets pain originating from this region.
"There are two things that make people good candidates for the Intracept Procedure. The characteristics of the patient's pain being in the lower back and not radicular. There are also specific degenerative changes, both in location and the signal on an MRI, that really clue me in to how effective this procedure will be," Dr. Bennett explained.
The minimally invasive treatment uses radiofrequency energy to ablate (heat) the nerves causing discomfort. "So, if you ever look at a picture of an MRI or spine model, you'll see the box part of the vertebrae. There are pain nerves in there. We put a needle at that spot, then we burn those nerves, and it blocks the transmission of pain," Dr. Bennett said.
Advanced imaging during the operation ensures the treatment is precise, safe and effective. "We can obtain a CT scan in the middle of the procedure without moving the patient. We use that to make sure that we're on the right trajectory and that we're giving the patient the best chance of ablating this area."
Back to it
Following the procedure, Scott shared that he was most surprised by how simple the process was and how quickly he noticed the difference.
"There wasn't the long downtime that you have when you have an invasive procedure. I had it on Thursday, I could have gone back to work on Monday," Scott said. Instead, he chose to do something that previously would have resulted in severe discomfort. " I went home eight hours away. I drove eight hours on Monday to go home to see family for Thanksgiving."
In addition to the immediate benefits, ongoing research shows patients continue to experience significant relief even several years post-op. According to Dr. Bennett, a third of patients report being pain-free at five years, while another third have a 50-99% reduction in pain.
Final thoughts
Since his procedure, Scott has returned to the hobbies he once had to put on hold. "I haven't struggled since. I can sit and play the piano as long as I want. I'm back cooking again. I can get dressed again without any help," he said.
Scott credits Dr. Bennett and his care team for this tremendous outcome. "It might sound cliché, but I want to thank them for giving me my life back. I want to thank them for making it easy to get my life back."
If you have questions about your neurological health or need expert care for a back or spine injury, the Parkview Neurosciences team can help. Ask your primary care physician if a referral would be appropriate for you. For more information, call 260-217-4379.
