A Bedford, New Hampshire resident, Dr. Brian Klagges is an interventional pain management specialist with over two decades of medical experience. Since 2011, Dr. Brian Klagges has been the director of Elliot Hospital in Manchester. Brian Klagges, MD, is also double board certified and is renowned for his proficiency in various minimally invasive spine procedures.
Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), characterized by the narrowing the spinal canal in the low back region, typically causes low back and leg pain. Doctors sometimes use spinal epidural injections (which can deliver anti-inflammatory drugs and local anesthetics to the spine). This procedure does not require an incision.
An epidural injection can help with pain management of LSS but is inferior to image-guided lumbar decompression for pain management, as highlighted in a publication entitled "The MIST Guidelines: The Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Consensus Group Guidelines for Minimally Invasive Spine Treatment." The book analyzes peer-reviewed literature to formulate recommendations for minimally invasive spine treatments (MIST), outlining eleven distinct consensus points graded based on the United States.
Image-guided lumbar decompression is a minimally invasive procedure for treating symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) that hasn't responded to non-surgical approaches. During the procedure, doctors use special instruments to surgically remove a portion of the spine to remedy defective areas, all under the guidance of imaging tools like X-rays or CT scans. These images help doctors locate and address the compressed area without directly seeing it, making it a less invasive alternative to traditional surgery.
