Is Selective Endoscopic Discectomy™ (SED™) the same as Nucleoplasty/Coblation?
NO! Nucleoplasty/Coblation is limited to treating small contained herniations. A small probe is passed multiple times into the disc under fluoroscopic guidance. This probe is heated and ablates a small amount of tissue via a plasma field that is created. This relies on indirect reduction of the herniation. It is also a “blind” procedure lacking any visualization. SED™ utilizes direct visualization of the patho-anatomy to directly target and selectively remove the herniated portion of the nucleus and any loose, unstable fragments. Thus It can be used for non-contained (extruded) as well as contained disc herniations.
