IN OFFICE PROCEDURES
In-Office procedures
These in office procedures are typically non-invasive and are designed to provide quick relief of symptoms. Depending on the individual needs of the patient, these methods may only serve to give temporary relief of symptoms.
Corticosteroid injection
A corticosteroid injection, also referred to as a steroid shot, is a treatment that involves injecting a synthetic corticosteroid drug into the body to reduce inflammation and pain. Corticosteroids are a group of hormones that are naturally produced by the adrenal glands and have anti-inflammatory properties.
Facet Joint Injection
A lumbar facet joint block is an injection of local anesthetic into one or more of the small joints located along the back of each vertebrae on both sides of the spine. Multiple injections may be performed, depending upon how many joints are involved.
NERVE ABLATION
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) uses heat to coagulate tissue. For pain management, radio waves are sent through a precisely placed needle to heat an area of the nerve. This prevents pain signals from being sent back to your brain. RFA is considered for long-term pain conditions, especially of the neck, lower back or arthritic joints that haven’t been successfully treated with other methods. In rare cases the sensory nerves can reform after an RFA and the procedure may need to be repeated. In most cases, a patient will experience complete relief from painful symptoms following an RFA.
Kyphoplasty
A kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of painful verterbral compression fractures (VCF).
When a vertebral body fractures, the usual rectangular shape of the bone becomes compressed, causing pain. These compression fractures may involve the collapse of one or more vertebrae in the spine and are a common result of osteoperosis or sometimes cancer.
During kyphoplasty, a balloon is first inserted into the fractured bone through the hollow needle to create a cavity or space. The cement is injected into the cavity once the balloon is removed. Dr. Mataragas' extensive training and understanding allows him to offer this procedure in-office.