Bon Secours among first in region to offer proven treatment for patients with chronic low back pain

Bon Secours has become one of the only health systems in the Upstate to offer an innovative approach to provide relief for patients suffering from a distinct type of chronic low back pain (CLBP) called vertebrogenic pain.

The treatment is the Intracept® Procedure – a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure which targets a nerve located in the vertebrae called the basivertebral nerve (BVN). During the procedure, Bon Secours pain management physician, Dr. Daniel Atkinson, advances a specialized probe into the vertebrae and uses radiofrequency energy to heat the BVN, rendering it unable to transmit pain signals to the brain. The Intracept Procedure generally takes an hour to perform and is permanent as well as implant free, preserving the overall structure of the spine.

The Intracept Procedure is supported by multiple clinical studies, including two Level I randomized controlled trials and five-year data on patient outcomes.

Key findings include:

• Long-term improvements in pain and function, sustained more than 5 years [1]
• Sustained decrease in patients using opioids and injections long-term[1]
• Nearly 80% of patients indicated they would have the procedure again for the same condition1
• Less than 0.3% rate of serious Intracept Procedure-related complications reported. [2]

“Not only is the procedure proven to be safe and durable, but it also provides patients with the opportunity to get back to living without the burden of chronic low back pain,” said Dr. Atkinson.

Of the 30 million people in the U.S. with chronic low back pain, 1 in 6 are likely to have vertebrogenic pain, a distinct type of CLBP caused by damage to vertebral endplates, the interface between the disc and the vertebral body. Disc degeneration, and the wear and tear that occurs with everyday living, produces stresses on the endplates that damage them, leading to inflammation and vertebrogenic pain.

The indicated patient for the Intracept Procedure has chronic low back pain of at least six months duration, has not responded to at least six months of conservative care, and presents with degenerative vertebral endplate changes consistent with Type 1 or Type 2 Modic changes in the lumbar spine on an MRI.

Upstate residents interested in learning more about the Intracept Procedure can visit bonsecours.com or call 864-351-0764 for more information.

[1] Fischgrund J, Rhyne A, Macadaeg K, et al. Long-term outcomes following intraosseous basivertebral nerve ablation for the treatment of chronic low back pain: 5-year treatment arm results from a prospective randomized double-blind sham-controlled multi-center study. Eur Spine J. 2020;29(8):1925-34. doi.org/10.1007/s00586-020-06448-x
[2] Relievant data on file as of January 2023.

About Bon Secours

Bon Secours St. Francis is part of Bon Secours Mercy Health (BSMH), one of the 20 largest health systems in the United States and the fifth-largest Catholic health system in the country. The ministry’s quality, compassionate care is provided by more than 60,000 associates serving communities in Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia, as well as throughout Ireland. Bon Secours Mercy Health provides care for patients more than 11 million times annually through its network of more than 1,200 care sites, which includes 49 hospitals. In 2023, BSMH provided more than $600 million dollars in community investments across five states, ensuring that cost is not a barrier to health care for our patients in need. Locally, Bon Secours St. Francis provides compassionate medical care to thousands of area residents through Bon Secours St. Francis Downtown and Bon Secours St. Francis Eastside, as well as a network of primary and specialty care practices, and ambulatory care sites across the Greenville region. The mission of Bon Secours St. Francis is to extend the compassionate ministry of Jesus by improving the health and well-being of our communities and bring good help to those in need, especially people who are poor, dying and underserved. For more information, visit BonSecours.com.