Percutaneous plasma radiofrequency ablation for lumbar disc herniation

Lumbar disc herniation is one of the common orthopedic diseases, and about 1/5 of the patients with low back pain are caused by lumbar disc herniation. From the epidemiological analysis at home and abroad, the population rate and absolute value of its incidence are on the rise. The rising incidence of this disease is related to the change of our living environment, living and working habits. Long-term bad habits with the back is the main cause. Because the intervertebral disc tissue itself lacks blood supply, the repair ability is extremely poor, coupled with the heavy load activity. Generally after the age of 20, the intervertebral disc began to degenerative changes, the toughness and elasticity of the fiber ring are gradually declining. At this time, if trauma, especially cumulative strain injury, becomes the cause of rupture of the annulus fibrosus. In many cases, there is no history of trauma, but the tension of the muscles and ligaments increases after exposure to cold, which increases the internal pressure of the disc and promotes the rupture of the atrophied annulus fibrosus. Plasma radiofrequency ablation of the nucleus pulposus is used to treat lumbar disc herniation. The method involves sending radiofrequency energy through the plasma tip at the tip of the rod through a special bipolar radiofrequency vaporization rod in the intervertebral disc under full fluoroscopic guidance. At a low temperature (about 50°C), a uniform thin layer of plasma is generated at the tip of the rod, and the charged particles therein gain enough kinetic energy to obtain acceleration and break the organic molecular bonds of the nucleus pulposus, thus vaporizing part of the disc nucleus pulposus and forming an efficient and precise vaporization and melting effect. carbon dioxide). Then the thermal coagulation technique is used to shrink the collagen molecule spiral structure by heating to about 70oC, which further reduces the volume of the disc nucleus pulposus (about 0.94cm3 in total in 6 foramina of one lumbar spine) and achieves decompression with reduced capacity, which can effectively release the pressure on the dura and nerve roots to achieve the treatment purpose. This method has been proved by a large number of clinical applications: simple operation, safety, and reliable efficacy, and it is a minimally invasive method highly respected by domestic and foreign experts in recent years, and is the most advanced minimally invasive technology in the world for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation.