Basivertebral Nerve Ablation (Intracept)

The basivertebral nerve is a sensory nerve located inside the bones of your spine (vertebrae). When the spinal discs degenerate, the endplates of the vertebrae can become inflamed and damaged, causing this nerve to send chronic pain signals to your brain.

Intracept is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure designed to target and ablate (burn) the basivertebral nerve. By disabling this specific nerve, the pain signals from the inflamed vertebral endplates are blocked, providing long-lasting relief from a specific type of chronic low back pain known as vertebrogenic pain.

This procedure is ideal for patients who have experienced chronic low back pain for more than six months and have not found relief with conservative care. A pain specialist will usually confirm your eligibility by looking for specific inflammatory markers (Modic changes) on an MRI.

Using fluoroscopic guidance, the physician makes a small incision and advances a specialized probe into the affected vertebra. Radiofrequency energy (heat) is then applied directly to the basivertebral nerve to disable it. The instruments are removed, and the small incision is bandaged.

Because the basivertebral nerve does not regenerate easily, Intracept provides durable, long-term pain relief. Many patients experience significant clinical improvements that last for years following this single outpatient procedure.