Summary
A patient with a prior spinal fusion developed bilateral piriformis muscle tears as a result of the added strain the fusion placed on the piriformis muscles, leaving him with years of severe pain in both buttocks and his lower back. After being diagnosed with piriformis syndrome at Deuk Spine Institute, he underwent the Deuk Piriformis Release® — a minimally invasive outpatient procedure using a four-millimeter incision — first on one side three months prior and then on the other side three weeks before this interview. Both times he recovered within about an hour and went home the same day. At the time of filming, all piriformis pain was completely gone, with relief noted almost immediately following each procedure.
Transcript
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: I’m here with a patient who has suffered with back pain from multiple things, but he had bilateral piriformis muscle tears, and they were creating tremendous pain in his buttock. He’s had that pain for years. We made the diagnosis of piriformis syndrome in both sides, and he underwent the Deuk Piriformis Release®. It’s a procedure done minimally invasive with a four-millimeter incision on the buttock. You had one done on one side three months ago. You had another one done three weeks ago. Do you still have the pain in your buttocks?
Patient: No. Gone. No, that’s gone.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Wonderful. How was the procedure for you? Was it pretty easy to get through?
Patient: Yes, it was. It was comfortable, and I felt good for both of them. I mean, it was a good relief.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: And you weren’t laid up in the hospital afterwards — it was outpatient.
Patient: Yep.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: It took you about an hour to recover?
Patient: Yeah.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: And then you went home. When did you notice the pain in your buttocks and lower back was gone?
Patient: Almost pretty much right after the surgery. I mean, I could still feel a little bit of numbness. But yeah, I mean, sitting-wise — I can’t feel it when I sit.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: So the pain in the butt cheeks is gone?
Patient: Yes.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Gone — wonderful. We’ve developed and pioneered a minimally invasive technique for piriformis muscle release®. It’s for patients who have a diagnosis of piriformis syndrome, which is pain in the lower back or upper buttock region due to inflammation from a tear within the piriformis muscle. And typically we’ll start with some shots to confirm the diagnosis, but also to treat the inflammation. You had the shots, they wore off, the pain kept coming back.
Patient: Yes.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Now, has the pain come back for you?
Patient: No, not piriformis — no.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Gone.
Patient: Yes.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Congratulations. Is there anything you want to tell the audience?
Patient: I want to thank him very much. I wouldn’t have believed it until I’d done it. It was a relief. I’ve had this going on for years, and I’m happy.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: And you actually had a fusion on your lower back years ago, and that put extra strain on the piriformis muscle, which caused them to rip — and that’s why you had so much pain in your lower back. We made that diagnosis at Deuk Spine, and we fixed the problem for you.
Patient: Yes.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Congratulations.
Patient: Thank you.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: You’re welcome. All right.
Deuk Piriformis Muscle Release®
This patient underwent the Deuk Piriformis Release® at Deuk Spine Institute. A minimally invasive procedure developed at Deuk Spine for the treatment of piriformis syndrome. Performed through a four-millimeter incision with no hospitalization required, the Deuk Piriformis Release® targets torn and inflamed piriformis muscle tissue that causes chronic pain in the lower back and buttock region. This patient required bilateral releases performed three months apart, with pain relief noted almost immediately after each outpatient procedure. His piriformis tears were a direct result of added mechanical strain from a prior lumbar spinal fusion; a contributing cause that was accurately diagnosed and successfully treated at Deuk Spine Institute.