When doctors discuss medical procedures, they sometimes speak in terms of indications (reasons to perform a procedure) and contraindications (reasons not to perform a procedure).

• You have chronic lower back pain. This means the pain has been with you continually for at least 3 months (some doctors say 6 months).
• You have tried aggressive, nonoperative therapy (which may include rest, pain medication, physical therapy, careful exercise, and perhaps alternative treatments), but after 6 weeks, the results were not satisfactory and the pain is still there.
• Your doctor has ruled out certain “red flag” causes of lower back pain, such as cancer or infection.
• Your doctor has performed the necessary diagnostic work-up, including provocationdiscography (the injection of sterile saline into the suspect disc to provoke discogenic pain).
• The injured disc maintains its basic shape and structural integrity, and no more than 2 discs are thought to be involved.
• You are willing and able to follow the doctor’s instructions to prepare for the IDET procedure and to help ensure a good outcome in the months that follow.

The IDET procedure isn’t for everyone. The following conditions might exclude a patient from receiving the IDET procedure. Read this page carefully, then speak to your doctor.

• Disc height less than 50% of predicted original height
• Prior surgery on affected discs
• Successful or failed spinal fusion surgery
• Spinal stenosis

• This is a narrowing of the holes in the vertebrae through which nerves and the spinal cord pass

• Large or extruded disc herniation

• A herniated disc bulges out between its two companion vertebrae. An extruded herniation has bulged so badly that it has torn and is leaking disc contents. Herniated discs are sometimes informally referred to as “slipped discs”

• Physical deformities of the spine, including scoliosis, kyphosis, and spondylolisthesis.
• In addition, cigarette smoking and obesity are associated with poor results in clinical studies of the IDET procedure. If you are considering the IDET procedure and are a smoker and/or overweight, discuss these issues with your doctor.

If your medical history, present physical condition, and diagnosis fit the profile, your doctor may recommend that you consider the IDET procedure. If your doctor is not familiar with or trained in the procedure, you may wish to ask for a referral to a qualified physician who can help you make an informed decision. You can use this web site to find a physician who is trained in the IDET procedure.

In addition, you may wish to review the safety and potential risks associated with the IDET procedure.