OrthoNeuroSpine & Pain Institute

RACZ Epidural Neurolysis is known as injection or series of injections into the spine, as therapy for chronic and back pain. This injection is performed 4 times in two days. Back pain is considered to be complex and has many causes. Experience of interventional pain therapy for chronic back pain has manifested that the pain is mostly because of scar tissue either caused from injury or disc herniation or last conservative back surgery. Racz Epidural Neurolysis has the ability to avoid the need for spinal surgery in many patients who suffer from chronic back pain and sciatic pain. This injection treatment has the ability to provide faster and affective long term relief from chronic pain and irritation in the lumbar spine, without the necessity of spinal surgery. Racz Epidural Neurolysis is very much effective in removing lower back pain and radiating sciatic pain.

The process is carried out as

• RACZ Epidural Neurolysis is mostly performed with the help of local anesthesia, with the patient lying face down, and risk attached with general anesthesia are avoided.
• Local anesthetic is administered at the base of the spine (at the sacral hiatus in the tailbone.
• With the help of a probe, a tube is taken into the epidural space and at the site of the pain, without the patient feeling any pain.
• A mixture of anti-inflammatory and anesthetic medication is inserted into this space.
• This gives sedation, pain relief, and decreases the swelling and eliminate the painful pressure on the sciatic nerve
• A natural enzyme contained in the solution disintegrates painful scar tissue and agglutinations around your spine.
• The physician observes the accurate location of the probe with the help of X-ray control throughout the operation.
• Sometimes the injection will be repeated after a few months, if there is a need of dissolving more scar tissues.

Am I a Candidate?

If you suffer from any kind of painful chronic pain then it shows that this treatment is for you. To be the right candidate for Racz Infusion, you have to have three month history of unsuccessful, conservative treatment for back or sciatic pain. The surgery of micro-surgical nerve decompression may give painful surgical scarring, or irritation in the vicinity of the spinal cord and for that Racz Infusion can help.

How long will this procedure take?

It will not take more than 60 minutes and it can be performed once, or it will be completed in twelve months, in a series of three injections.

How long will it take to recover?

After the procedure is done, you will be able to slowly get up and walk. You may feel heavy or numb in your legs. Pain will seem as if gone completely or drastically eliminated. This happens because of local anesthetic injection. Although you will feel better after the treatment but you will not be allowed to drive on the same day, because you need rest. You may leave for work on the following day of the procedure, if there are no complications.

Its Outcome

Racz Epidural Neurolysis can be good in many cases of spinal Disc Herniation and other spine problems, for which physiotherapy or even spinal surgery has not worked sufficiently in eliminating pain.

What is Racz Catheter Lysis of Adhesions?

A Racz catheter is a device that is used to break these adhesions by dissolving the scar tissue. It is a specialized catheter that can enter the epidural space around the spine through which medication can be injected to help dissolve the adhesions.

Who needs Racz Catheter Lysis of Adhesions?

Adhesions refer to excessive scar tissue formation that can occur following any form of surgery. In cases where surgery has been performed on the back, scarring can occur from bleeding that may take place into the epidural space. Similar surgeries around the spine can also cause adhesions.

What are the steps in Racz Catheter Lysis of Adhesions?

Preparing for the Procedure

The procedure is fairly straightforward. Patients will be asked to lie on their stomach and will be monitored throughout the procedure, which only takes a few minutes to perform.

Cleaning and Numbing the Skin

The skin on the lower back is cleaned with an antiseptic solution and a small amount of local anesthetic is injected into the skin and the deeper tissues leading all the way to the sacrum. There may be slight pain and discomfort during the procedure, but this is usually alleviated by the local anesthetic injection.

Placing the Catheter

The catheter is then passed through a long needle that is directed towards the sacrum into the epidural space using the guidance of an x-ray machine called fluoroscope. A small amount of dye may be injected to confirm the location of the needle.

Performing the Injection

The catheter is passed all the way up to the area where the adhesions are. Then, a local anesthetic mixed with the steroid is injected so as to bathe the entire area and help relieve pain, as well as to breakdown scar tissue.

After Surgery

Following the procedure, patients are observed for a short amount of time and are then discharged home. In some patients, repeated injections may be required, so the catheter may be kept in place and not removed. Once all the injections have been administered, the catheter is removed.

Patients may experience mild numbness or heaviness in their legs following the procedure, but this usually passes after a short while.

The procedure is extremely effective at breaking down adhesions and reducing pain. Effects can start to kick in immediately after the procedure and can last up to a few months.

Risks are very few and rare. Patients may experience mild headaches, bruising at the site of injection and, very rarely, nerve damage leading to paralysis. Serious side effects include an allergic reaction to the drugs, but these are extremely rare. The procedure is ideally avoided in patients who have known allergies to these drugs or in those who have a bleeding disorder or are on blood thinning medication.