Spine Service

Discogram: A discogram is a diagnostic test performed to view and assess a disc to determine if it is a source of pain.

Epidural Blood Patch: An epidural blood patch is a relatively simple procedure in which blood drawn from an intravenous line in your arm is injected into the epidural space in your spine.

Epidural Steroid Injection (ESI): An epidural steroid injection is a non-surgical treatment used for temporary pain relief in the arm, leg, lower back and neck.

Facet Block Injection: A facet block injection is a treatment that provides temporary relief of back pain, as well as a test to find out whether facet joints are the source of a patient’s back pain.

Nerve Root Block: A nerve block is performed to determine if a specific spinal nerve root is the source of pain, and to reduce inflammation around the nerve root—thus decreasing or relieving the pain.

Sacroiliac Joint Injection: The sacroiliac facet joints are a small joint in the region of the low back and buttocks where the pelvis joins with the spine. If the joints become painful they may cause pain in the low back, buttocks, abdomen, groin or legs. The injection is performed with the patient lying on his or her abdomen. Prior to the injection, the area of the skin where the medication will be injected is cleaned and numbed with local anesthetic. With the use of fluoroscopy (live x-ray), the radiologist injects a mixture of local anesthetic and steroid medication into the sacroiliac joint.

Spine Biopsy: A bone biopsy is a test in which a small sample of bone is removed from the body and examined under a microscope for cancer, infection, or other bone disorders. The procedure is done with the patient lying on his or her abdomen. Using fluoroscopy via CT scan, the sample of bone is removed by inserting a needle through the skin and directly into the bone. A numbing medication (local anesthetic) is used to prevent pain during this procedure. Intravenous (IV) pain and sedative medication also may be given.

Vertebroplasty & Kyphoplasty: A vertebroplasty is a minimally-invasive procedure used to strengthen broken vertebra caused mainly by osteoporosis and cancer. The Kyphoplasty procedure involves the use of a balloon to restore the vertebral body height and shape and is followed by the injection of bone cement to strengthen it.