Nucleoplasty

What is This Treatment?

Nucleoplasty involves vaporizing a portion of the nucleus pulposus (the gel portion of the disc) using a special probe placed into the disc to reduce intradiscal pressure. It is an alternative to surgery for early-stage disc herniations.

Benefits

• Disc integrity is preserved
• Minimally invasive technique
• Fast recovery time
• Treatment without surgical risk

Treatment Process

Under fluoroscopy guidance, a thin needle is placed into the disc. Using radiofrequency or laser energy, a portion of the disc material is vaporized to reduce intradiscal pressure. The procedure takes approximately 30 minutes under local anesthesia.

When is it used?

• Selected patients with contained lumbar or cervical disc herniation that has not completely extruded
• Cases with persistent disc-related pain despite medication, rest, and physical therapy but not at the threshold for open surgery
• Situations where reducing intradiscal pressure without significant motor loss or large free fragments may provide benefit
• Tissue-preserving patients where more limited interventional options should be evaluated first

Recovery and planning

Recovery after nucleoplasty is usually rapid; most patients can return home the same day. Mild pain increase or stiffness at the procedure site may occur in the first few days. The true measure of success is not only immediate pain reduction but functional improvement in sitting, walking, and daily activities in the following weeks. However, the most critical point of this procedure is indication rather than technique: sufficient response may not be obtained in unsuitable patients and a different intervention may be required later. Therefore, neurological examination, changes in pain pattern, and imaging if necessary should be evaluated together during follow-up.

Frequently Asked Questions