Discseel®

Your visit begins with an annulogram^™ which is a pain-free test that identifies subtle tears in your discs that the MRI or discography can’t.  We test every disc in the region to identify even the most subtle disc tears. This allows us to be proactive, addressing small tears before they lead to large herniations or degeneration. The annulogram^™ is so important that its a necessary part of the Discseel^® Procedure. During your annulogram^™,  X-ray contrast is mixed with a little antibiotic, and is injected into the outer annulus fibrosus of your disc to identify subtle disc tears. Next, Fibrin is injected into each tear to immediately seal the disc. Over the following months, the Fibrin promotes disc tissue growth, sealing and healing previously torn discs.

The Discseel^® Procedure takes approximately 40 minutes and is performed in an outpatient facility. You wil be offered mild sedation. During the procedure, your physician uses xray fluoroscopy and injects contrast mixed with antibiotic into each disc in the region to precisely identify disc tears. Next, using x-ray fluoroscopy, the two components which make Fibrin (prothrombin and fibrinogen), are simultaneously injected into the tears of your annulus fibrosus, making Fibrin in the disc, sealing your torn and damaged discs. Fibrin is FDA-approved biologic with many other applications in the human body, and in the disc used as an accepted, off-label use of an FDA approved biologic (this is analogous to steroids in epidural injections).  The fibrin will seal the disc tears and promote tissue growth over the following months, thus sealing and healing the discs.

Following your Discseel^® Procedure, you will rest in recovery for 30 minutes.  Most people experience temporary increased and different symptoms before improvement. We’d like you to walk with assistance the following day and increase your activity as tolerated.  Increase your activities in 10% increments until you are at 100%  of your desired activity.  Most experience relief at 3-6 months post procedure because our discs heal slowly.

During your consultation, you and anyone with you may speak directly with your Physician who will perform your Discseel^® Procedure. Your Physician will answer all your questions so that you feel confident and ready for a successful return to activities.