Orthopädie am Rhy

Basel, Rheinfelden, Liestal

Interventional pain therapy
(Infiltrations on the spine)

Many patients suffer from chronic back pain (or pain in the legs) despite many years of conservative and sometimes surgical therapy. The reasons for this are as numerous as they are complex. For example, disturbed pain processing and transmission at the cellular level, biomechanical disturbances (e.g. herniated disc), degenerative changes or the consequences of operations interlock. Interventional pain management can relieve chronic back pain where other treatments have failed.

Interventional pain therapy can usually be carried out on an outpatient basis on one or more appointments. In a minimally invasive procedure under X-ray or ultrasound control, drugs are targeted to the affected structure (e.g. in the facet joints, in the spinal canal or on painful nerve roots). This so-called infiltration takes place over the skin with a small needle. If the exact structure that causes the pain is reached, there is immediate pain reduction.

The focus is on the safety of the patient. Conscientious planning and modern technical and apparatus measures ensure, with complete information, a good medical result and a high level of satisfaction for our patients. The humanity and professional quality ensure a trusting and respectful cooperation. People are perceived as having ailments and are treated comprehensively on an individual basis.


Infiltrations are carried out under X-ray control with the help of a C-arm or also under ultrasound control.
The most common injection techniques are:

• Facet joint infiltration
• Infiltration of the medial branches
• Infiltration of the emerging nerve roots (periradicular infiltration PRT, selective nerve root blockade)
• Infiltration into the sacrum joint (SI joint) (sacroiliac joint)
• Infiltration of the spinal canal (epidural / peridural infiltration PDA)
• Pulsed radio frequency therapy (GRF)
• Desolation of the medial branches (thermal lesion)
• Autologous PRP
• Alternative treatments (e.g. neutral therapy, prolotherapy)


Risks and Side Effects

In general, the risks of interventional pain therapy are very low and side effects rarely occur. Like all operations (only many times less), the infiltration of the spine also carries the risk of infection as pathogens are carried into the puncture site. However, this is very, very rare, well below 1 in 10,000. Allergic reactions to the applied medication are also possible. In addition, in very rare cases, nerve or nerve root injuries can occur. This manifests itself in pain, sensory disturbances or numbness in the region of the body that is supplied by the affected nerves. Complications can be reduced with a thorough medical history (taking medical history) and physical exam. For example, the infiltration of the spine should not be carried out if the patient has an increased tendency to bleed due to certain diseases or medications.


• Information und Aufklärung (D) »
Informed consent (E) »
• Information / consentement éclairé (F) »
Informazioni / consenso informato (I) »


More about interventional pain therapy (PDF)

PRP-Therapie

for injuries to joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles


PRP-Therapie

for osteoarthritis and joint wear


PRP-Therapie

for back pain


Your spine specialists in our practice

Dr Moritz Dau

Specialist FMH, Sports medicine, SEMS
Interventional pain management SSIPM
Ultrasound on the musculoskeletal system SGUM 
Manual medicine/Chirotherapy SAMM
Entire musculoskeletal system & spine


Jaroslaw Boronzcyk

Specialist in Orthopaedics


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