If you are experiencing back pain from a herniated disc in the lower spine, you may be a candidate for a surgical treatment called Barricaid Spine Treatment. This new technique, developed by Intrinsic Therapeutics, is designed to close the hole (annular defect) that results from a spinal discectomy surgery. This reduces the risk of reherniation which can cause more severe symptoms such as leg weakness and pain. Source:https://www.larryparkermd.com/barricaid/

The Barricaid device consists of a woven mesh that is attached to a titanium bone anchor. It is inserted into the lumbar spine and anchored to the vertebrae through a minimally-invasive procedure. It has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of reherniation in a randomized clinical trial.

Understanding Barricaid Spine Treatment: A Patient’s Guide

This is important because herniated discs in the lumbar spine can lead to severe and persistent back pain and weakness of the legs. Recurrent herniations can also lead to more serious complications such as spinal instability or nerve damage, requiring further surgery.

Discectomy surgery is a common and important treatment for herniated discs in the lower spine, alleviating nerve compression and reducing painful symptoms. However, the underlying herniated disc remains at risk of reherniation following the procedure. A new device, the Barricaid annular closure device, has been shown to significantly reduce herniation rates with a low rate of postoperative complications in a randomized controlled trial.

The FDA has approved the use of this new device for certain patient subgroups that are at higher risk of reherniation including those over 50, those with large annular defects and those with herniated lumbar discs in both a posterior and a posterolateral position. Compared to a group receiving discectomy alone, the Barricade device significantly reduced reherniation rates at two years and resulted in a significant improvement in ODI and VAS back and leg scores without severe complications.