What to Expect During the F.A.D.™ Procedure
The Functional Anaesthetic Discography™ (F.A.D.™) Procedure with the DISCYPHOR DIRECT™ Catheter System
Innovative technology to help your physician isolate the source of your low back pain.
F.A.D.™ Procedure Steps
Step 1: A small, flexible DISCYPHOR DIRECT™ Catheter is inserted into each disc suspected of causing pain and anchored in place with a tiny balloon.
Step 2: Your doctor will then ask you to perform the functional activities and/or postures that typically cause your low back pain and to rate that pain.
Step 3: Each disc suspected of causing your back pain will be injected, one at a time, with a small amount of local anesthetic, through the DISCYPHOR DIRECT™ Catheter.
Step 4: You will then be asked to perform the same functional activities and/or postures, and again asked to rate your pain.
Your pain scores and range of motion, from before and after each injection, are compared to evaluate whether the suspected disc(s) is a potential source of your back pain.
If the injection relieves your back pain, that disc can be further evaluated for potential treatment. If the injection does not relieve your pain, your doctor is able to evaluate whether the pain might be caused by a different disc or another condition altogether.
DISCYPHOR DIRECT™ Catheter System Advantages
- Helps to assess the source of back pain through everyday movements and postures
- A diagnostic technique based on temporary pain relief
- Evaluates pain from the disc(s) and helps to differentiate disc pain from other sources of back pain
- Independently examines each disc involved in cases of multilevel disc pain
Although the complication rate for the DISCYPHOR DIRECT™ Catheter System for the Functional Anaesthetic Discography™ (F.A.D.™) Procedure is low, as with most interventional procedures, serious adverse events can occur such as infection, including infection of the disc, nerve injury that can in rare instances cause paralysis, allergic reaction, unintended damage to the blood vessels or surrounding tissue, bleeding, hemorrhage or bruising.