Fluoroscopy During Pain Procedures
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We are often asked by patients and referring doctors why many of the interventional procedures performed by Dr. Lynch and Dr. McJunkin are done using fluoroscopy (X-ray.) As pain medicine continues to evolve as a specialty, we are discovering that precise placement of medications can greatly increase the effectiveness of the procedure, while significantly reducing the complications.
With advanced imaging techniques, such as MRI and CAT scans, the exact area of injury in the spine can be identified. The most effective procedure is the injection that places the medications directly at the area of pain. This not only guarantees correct placement of the drug, but also allows use of the lowest possible dose since the medication is placed exactly where needed.
Additionally, the complication rate appears to be lower with fluoroscopically-guided injections since the path of the needle can be followed with the X-ray during the procedure. The final, and perhaps most important, advantage is that fewer injections may be necessary to treat a pain problem.
Several recent medical studies have indicated that the success rate for placing the injected medication at the site of injury during “blind” epidural injections is less than 25%. Therefore, in many injections that are performed without the use of fluoroscopy, the medications never actually get to the area of pathology.
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