This procedure is performed in the hospital, typically on an outpatient basis. It is performed under intravenous sedation. Your pain physician uses a proprietary blend of dextrose, chondroitin, glucosamine, DMSO, bupivacaine and antibiotic rather than traditional chymopapain. As opposed to chymopapain, this mixture does not traditionally induce a significant risk of anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction).
With the individual correctly positioned on the procedure table, a needle is inserted through the skin into the gel-like inner material (nucleus pulposus) of the intervertebral disc. The position of the needle is critical. Its placement in the center of the disc is visually confirmed with C-arm fluoroscopy (x-ray). Once needle placement is confirmed, the disc is injected with the proprietary mixture and the needles removed.