Patients suffering from low back pain or pain radiating into the sacral area who have failed conservative treatment measures, are candidates for flexible fiber-optic epiduroscopy. Patients with true sciatica or with non-surgical lesions will respond most favorably to this procedure. Usually, this subgroup of patients has nerve pain that presents as sharp, lancinating electrical pain. They may also have a deep, dull, aching sensations in their mid-back region or legs.

The primary purpose of epiduroscopy is to obtain specific diagnosis of the pain generator. While MRI, CT scans, and myelograms are a picture of what is going on, three-dimensional view of the contents of the epidural space is obtained with epiduroscopy. Epiduroscopy also allows the physician to mimic the patient's chronic pain and identify pain generators with more certainty. Specifically diagnosing the pain generator enhances the ability to provide the patient with better pain relief.

Patients suffering from low back pain and failed surgeries often have nerve roots that are encased in adhesive scar tissue, causing traction on the nerve roots. This traction can be very painful. Using epiduroscopy to locate and directly view the pain generator, the nerve root can be released from adhesive tissue. Appropriate therapy can then be administered. Epiduroscopy is done with a local anesthetic and sedation. Because it is not a major surgical procedure, there are very few risks involved. The main risks are spinal headache, infection, bleeding, nerve damage, and inability to relieve pain. However, with direct visualization and careful monitoring, these risks are minimal.
 

If you have any questions whatsoever regarding botulinum
and whether or not it may be helpful for your pain,