Nucleoplasty is a minimal invasive procedure performed by radiologists and surgeons with the help of X-ray guidance systems that completely eliminates the use of general anesthesia. Being a minimal invasive technique Nucleoplasty does away with complications that arise from open surgery.

A needle, much like an epidural steroid needle, goes into the affected area using X-ray guidance equipment to accurately position the needle in the affected disc. A device then removes the excessive tissue from the disc. The procedure is much akin to letting the air out of a balloon. The device then heats and shrinks the tissue through coagulation. This reduces the pressure within the disc and on the nerve that in turn eases the symptoms.

In most cases the patient is treated as an out patient and there is no hospitalization required. The entire procedure lasts about two hours at the most and the patient goes home the same day. Most patients report relief from symptoms within a couple of weeks.