Turbo therapy for back pain
Munich Clinic

Spinal pain: Treatment options

But Kerstin B. absolutely didn't want that. She found the website of the Munich East Spine Center online. An appointment was quickly arranged. "That saved me," she beams today. "Because Dr. Ismail relieved my pain with the amazingly simple dual treatment and spared me the dreaded surgery. The whole thing took less than an hour."„

Worn intervertebral discs:
Munich Clinic
Munich East Spine Center

Although Dr. Samer Ismail, a neurosurgeon, has already performed over 15,000 spinal surgeries, he increasingly avoids these invasive procedures. Instead, he prefers to use gentle, specialized injections: "We no longer want to destroy and remove tissue, but rather repair and regenerate it. This is possible both in cases of disc degeneration and when disc tissue has narrowed the spinal canal."„

Minimally invasive therapies for herniated discs in Munich at the WZMO

After a thorough physical examination and current MRI scans, we then make the diagnosis. If disc degeneration is present, the pain has persisted for more than three months, and all conservative treatment attempts have been unsuccessful, the modern Fehrfix therapy can help. That's the actual name of the small rods. We only call them "disc spaghetti" because they look just like the raw, uncooked pasta of the Italian national dish.“

The procedure itself is particularly effective and, at the same time, surprisingly simple. "Using a thin hollow needle, we apply the tiny FehrFix hydrogel implants directly into the dehydrated nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc," explains Dr. Ismail. "Inside the degenerated and flattened disc, which can no longer perform its vital cushioning function, they quickly absorb water and swell to ten times their original volume. Unlike real spaghetti, however, the enlarged hydrogel material remains elastic and retains its shape. Because we insert five of these implants into each disc through a cannula, they provide particularly lasting support from within, restoring the necessary stability."„

For this new biological combination procedure, he first takes some blood from his patients' arm vein and prepares the plasma in a centrifuge: "The blood plasma contains valuable growth factors, which we can enrich by a factor of 8 through certain additives."„

Then the actual treatment begins. Under local anesthesia and X-ray guidance, Dr. Ismail first injects small hydrogel implants into the damaged intervertebral discs through a thin cannula: "These mini-implants, only 15 millimeters long and one millimeter wide, look like tiny strands of spaghetti. They attract water from the surrounding tissue and swell to ten times their original volume. This supports the discs from within, providing the necessary stability and sustainably restoring their natural cushioning function." He then injects the previously harvested autologous platelets and growth factors into the disc through the same cannula: "They rebuild the degenerated disc tissue, combat inflammation in the tissue and nerves, thus relieving pain and promoting healing. This allows the discs to truly regenerate."„

At the same time, the hydrogel implants increase the pH value in the tissue. This provides additional relief from painful inflammation, and the water retention enhances the effect of the bio-injection.

Depending on the findings and diagnosis, the new dual therapy is possible both on an outpatient basis and as a short inpatient procedure.

New patients are also welcome: Your Center for Spinal Medicine in Munich

Are you most afraid of the "tube"? Don't worry, we completely understand. Many patients initially feel uneasy when a CT scanner is used. At our practice in Munich, we therefore use state-of-the-art technology that not only offers you more space than other machines, but also allows you to relax while listening to music or watching videos. And a friendly smile and an encouraging word are always part of our daily routine.

Acute back pain? Need advice? We're ready!