Pain-Free and Up to Par: Joseph Pazillo (pictured left) and Dr. Tracy L. Neuendorf.
Joseph Pazillo of Girard, Ohio, knows how debilitating chronic back pain can be. Pazillo woke up one morning and was unable to get out of the bed. “I literally had to crawl on my hands and knees because I couldn’t stand up,” he explains. Not long after that episode, Pazillo experienced another similar attack of pain that again immobilized him while vacationing in Florida. “The pain was so severe in my left leg that I had to sleep in a reclining chair and I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it home from Florida back to Ohio,” adds Pazillo. This normally active 72-year old, who loves golfing, line dancing with his wife and working out in his yard, ended up sitting around not doing much of anything on his Florida vacation because of the pain. After returning from Florida, Pazillo’s back and leg pain was so bothersome that walking more than 10 minutes and golfing became too painful to enjoy.
“When Dr. Neuendorf explained the procedure, and I discovered it was not as invasive as surgery, it sounded great to me.”
Pazillo’s pain prompted him to schedule a trip to his family doctor and a chiropractor. He was diagnosed with two protruding discs and with pain radiating down his left leg. After several traditional and conservative treatment options failed, Pazillo’s family doctor referred him to chronic pain specialist Tracy L. Neuendorf, D.O., Medical Director of Doctors Pain Clinic. “Dr. Neuendorf first tried a series of three epidurals hoping I would get relief from the pain. The first epidural worked for about 6 months but the next two epidurals didn’t help and I was still in a lot of pain,” explains Pazillo. However, Pazillo wasn’t discouraged for long, especially after Dr. Neuendorf explained that he might be a candidate for a disc decompression procedure. Patients suffering from leg and low back pain caused by herniated discs have been helped by disc decompression. The procedure bridges the gap between conservative therapy and surgery. “Patients must be carefully selected for the this procedure. Not all patients with herniated discs are candidates. Sometimes a patient needs surgery for their herniated disc and this procedure will not help those patients,” explains Dr. Neuendorf. Multiple studies have shown that 4 out of 5 properly selected patients with contained herniated discs benefit from the disc decompression procedure.
“When Dr. Neuendorf explained the procedure, and I discovered it was not as invasive as surgery, it sounded great to me. I told him let’s go for it,” Pazillo exclaims. According to Dr. Neuendorf, patients diagnosed with contained herniated discs with radiculopathy are the best candidates. “In a contained herniated disc, the nucleus pushes against the annulus causing it to bulge and press against the nerve and thus causing pain. The technique is designed to decompress and reduce the bulging nucleus enough to eliminate the pressure it is placing on the nerve.” explains Dr. Neuendorf. Disc decompression incorporates the use of a miniature probe inserted into the disc. The incision through the skin is less than ¼ inch. The probe allows Dr. Neuendorf to view the bulging nucleus tissue and remove it. By removing some of the nucleus from the disc, the pressure on the nerve root is reduced or eliminated along with the pain.
The procedure is normally performed in an outpatient setting and typically takes from one to two hours to complete. Local anesthesia is administered and the patient is conscious during the procedure. “The procedure has 85-90 percent success rates and has a less than one percent complication rate,” states Dr. Neuendorf.
Most patients return to their daily activities within a matter of days and for some patients noticeable improvement may occur as early as 24-48 hours. Leg pain is usually the first to improve.
After having the procedure performed, Pazillo experienced enough pain relief that he was able to become active again. However, he was still far from being pain-free. He would have to undergo a second procedure for his second herniated disc. After having a second procedure performed, Pazillo was able to play a full 18 holes of golf and walk over a mile each day on his treadmill. “This time I don’t have to stop walking after 10 minutes because of pain,” he said with a grin.
When asked if Pazillo would recommend this procedure to others who have a similar diagnosis, he quickly replied: “Absolutely! The fact that I was at the hospital at 7 am and back home by 1 pm with just a band aid to cover a small incision—you can’t beat that.”
And, thanks to two successful disc decompression procedures, Pazillo is delighted to be back on the green golfing again—only this time pain-free.
Where Is He Now? Since this procedure several years ago, Joseph is enjoying a pain-free life and can be found on the golf course 2-3 times per week!