Gel Filled Pillow Relieves Pain From Spinal Arthritis

A revolutionary treatment currently being used in England may help spinal arthritis sufferers. The procedure inserts a small, gel filled pillow onto the spine, providing relief from arthritis pain.

One of the many causes of back pain is spinal arthritis. This form of arthritis results from the degeneration of the cartilage between the vertebrae. This pressure can result in irritation to the nerves in the spine, causing pain and weakness.

The most common sufferers of spinal arthritis are people over 55. Additionally, the condition can be exacerbated in overweight or obese people and on people whose life activities put repetitive stress on the spinal joints. Over eight million British residents suffer from various stages of spinal arthritis. While many can continue normal life activities, others are severely impacted by the pain.

Historically, treatments for spinal arthritis have been limited to physical therapy, painkillers (including NSAIDs), corticosteroid injections, and adaptive behavior, limiting the patients ability to enjoy life.

UK residents can now try a new treatment, the implant of a small "pillow" to relieve spinal arthritis symptoms.

Recently, the British NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) approved the "DIAM" implant (short for "Device for Intervertebral Assisted Motion"). The United States FDA has not yet approved the device. The DIAM device is a small, H-shaped cushion filed with silicone gel, surrounded by a polyester mesh with polyester ties. The DIAM implant acts as a pillow - cushioning and stabilizing the patient's vertebral joint. It is implanted between the spinous processes the parts of the vertebrae that protrude from the back of the spine (you can feel them if you run your finger up and down your back) around the injured area.

The DIAM implant was developed by Medtronic, a United States medical product manufacturer. To date, research shows that not only does the implant work as a shock absorber, but it restores the natural working of the joint and eases pain. The companys study involved 68 patients between the ages of 23 and 75. Joint mobility increased by an average of 64% and pain decreased by an average of 71%. All of the studied patients showed improvement. The age of the patient did not seem to have an effect on the results.

Surgery is usually accomplished on an outpatient basis in a procedure taking approximately 45 minutes. The surgery is conducted with the implant recipient lying on his or her stomach. The surgeon makes a small cut along the back of the spine, and then retracts the muscle and tissue to access the spine. The doctor then removes any arthritis caused bony outgrowths or other debris in the area. The device is implanted into the patient between two spinous processes (the bumps on your spine), and then tied off against adjacent vertebrae to stabilize the implant. A few stitches concludes the procedure.

Patients can usually go home as soon as the general anesthetic has worn off and they are able to walk. Although in some cases the patient gets additional physical therapy to develop additional core strength, most of the time, the surgery requires no further rehabilitation.