Facet Thermal Ablation for Residents of Freehold and Monroe Township, NJ

In order to understand what facet thermal ablation is, it can be helpful to first understand the role of the facet joints. Situated in your spine, facet joints make your neck and back flexible and enable your body to bend and twist. Healthy facet joints have cartilage, which allows the vertebrae to move smoothly against each other without grinding.

If you are suffering from spinal arthritis, the cartilage that allows the bones in your facet joints to move freely may begin to sustain wear and tear, leading to friction and the development of bone spurs on the surfaces of the facet joints. Eventually, these bony growths may begin to press on nearby nerves and cause symptoms such as pain, numbness, and tingling.

AOSMI Can Help

Using a laser, facet thermal ablation targets an affected facet joint to desensitize the tiny nerve that is causing the pain and smooth the bony projections on the joint’s surface, which can lead to long-term pain relief. At Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute, our board-certified surgeons perform this minimally invasive procedure at our facilities in Freehold and Monroe Township, New Jersey.

In general, a surgeon begins by creating a small incision over the affected facet joint and inserts tiny tubes into the opening to reach the affected nerve and joint. Guided by real-time imaging, the surgeon then uses a laser to burn the affected nerve and smooth the bone spurs on the joint. The recovery time that follows is relatively short, and the arthritis pain may be reduced immediately.

To learn more about facet thermal ablation, contact Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute today. We would be happy to schedule an appointment for you at our facility in Freehold or Monroe Township, NJ.