Bon Secours has become one of the only health systems in the Upstate to offer an innovative approach to provide relief for patients suffering from a distinct type of chronic low back pain (CLBP) called vertebrogenic pain.

The treatment is the Intracept® Procedure – a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure which targets a nerve located in the vertebrae called the basivertebral nerve (BVN). During the procedure, Bon Secours pain management physician, Dr. Daniel Atkinson, advances a specialized probe into the vertebrae and uses radiofrequency energy to heat the BVN, rendering it unable to transmit pain signals to the brain. The Intracept Procedure generally takes an hour to perform and is permanent as well as implant free, preserving the overall structure of the spine.

The Intracept Procedure is supported by multiple clinical studies, including two Level I randomized controlled trials and five-year data on patient outcomes. Key findings include:

  • Long-term improvements in pain and function, sustained more than 5 years 
  • Sustained decrease in patients using opioids and injections long-term1
  • Nearly 80% of patients indicated they would have the procedure again for the same condition1\
  • Less than 0.3% rate of serious Intracept Procedure-related complications reported. 

“Not only is the procedure proven to be safe and durable, but it also provides patients with the opportunity to get back to living without the burden of chronic low back pain,” said Dr. Atkinson.  

Of the 30 million people in the U.S. with chronic low back pain, 1 in 6 are likely to have vertebrogenic pain, a distinct type of CLBP caused by damage to vertebral endplates, the interface between the disc and the vertebral body. Disc degeneration, and the wear and tear that occurs with everyday living, produces stresses on the endplates that damage them, leading to inflammation and vertebrogenic pain. 

The indicated patient for the Intracept Procedure has chronic low back pain of at least six months duration, has not responded to at least six months of conservative care, and presents with degenerative vertebral endplate changes consistent with Type 1 or Type 2 Modic changes in the lumbar spine on an MRI.

Upstate residents interested in learning more about the Intracept Procedure can visit bonsecours.com or call 864-351-0764 for more information.