Method for treatment of an intervertebral disc

1. A method for relieving pain associated with an intervertebral disc having a disc nucleus pulposus and an outer annulus fibrosus surrounding the nucleus pulposus, the method comprising:

providing an elongated thermal or electromagnetic probe member having proximal and distal ends and defining a longitudinal axis, and having a flexible guidable region adjacent the distal end;

penetrating the elongated thermal or electromagnetic probe member into a portion the intervertebral disc at a location that is immediately adjacent to a region of the intervertebral disc to be thermally or electromagnetically treated, wherein the region of the intervertebral disc to be treated is a tear extending through the annulus fibrosus;

introducing the flexible guidable region of the probe into at least one of the nucleus pulposus and the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc, at a location which is immediately adjacent to the tear;

positioning the flexible guidable region of the probe toward the tear to extend substantially across the tear;

supplying thermal or electromagnetic energy, from an energy source, to heat or induce an electromagnetic field adjacent to the annulus fibrosus sufficient to produce a thermal or electromagnetic effect on the intervertebral disc;

positioning the flexible guidable region of the probe away from the tear to extend substantially opposite the tear;

supplying thermal or electromagnetic energy, from the energy source, to heat or induce an electromagnetic field adjacent to the annulus fibrosus sufficient to produce a thermal or electromagnetic effect on the intervertebral disc;

positioning the flexible guidable region of the probe substantially parallel the tear and toward the nucleus pulpous; and

supplying thermal or electromagnetic energy, from the energy source, to heat or induce an electromagnetic field adjacent to the annulus fibrosus sufficient to produce a thermal or electromagnetic effect on the intervertebral disc.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the tear defines an axis, and further comprising the step of inserting the probe into the annulus fibrosus in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the tear.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the disc further defines a second plane, the second plane being orthogonal to a first plane, whereby the disc is divided by four quadrants.

4. A method according to claim 3 , further including the steps of:

penetrating the elongated thermal or electromagnetic probe member into a quadrant of the disc containing the region to be treated; and

introducing the flexible guidable region of the probe into the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc at a location immediately adjacent to the region of intervertebral disc to be thermally or electromagnetically treated, wherein the flexible guidable region initially provides the thermal or electromagnetic treatment to the quadrant of the disc containing the region to be treated.

5. A method according to claim 4 , further including the steps of:

supplying thermal or electromagnetic energy, from the energy source, to heat or induce an electromagnetic field adjacent to the annulus fibrosus sufficient to produce a thermal or electromagnetic effect on the intervertebral disc within a quadrant of the disc other than the quadrant of the disc containing the region to be treated.

6. A method for relieving pain associated with an intervertebral disc, the method comprising:

providing an elongated thermal or electromagnetic probe having a flexible guidable region;

penetrating the elongated thermal or electromagnetic probe member into a portion the intervertebral disc that is to be thermally or electromagnetically treated, adjacent to a treatment site;

introducing the flexible guidable region of the probe into the portion the intervertebral disc that is to be thermally or electromagnetically treated, adjacent the treatment site;

positioning the flexible guidable region of the probe in a first location, adjacent to the treatment site of the intervertebral disc;

supplying thermal or electromagnetic energy, from an energy source, to heat or induce an electromagnetic field to produce a thermal or electromagnetic effect on the treatment site of the intervertebral disc;

positioning the flexible guidable region of the probe in a second location, extending across the treatment site of the intervertebral disc; and

supplying thermal or electromagnetic energy, from the energy source, to heat or induce an electromagnetic field to produce a thermal or electromagnetic effect across the treatment site.

7. A method according to claim 6 , further including the steps of:

positioning the flexible guidable region of the probe in a third location of the intervertebral disc to be thermally or electromagnetically treated; and

supplying thermal or electromagnetic energy, from the energy source, to heat or induce an electromagnetic field to produce a thermal or electromagnetic effect at the third location of the intervertebral disc.

8. A method according to claim 7 , wherein the third location is disposed within a nucleus of the intervertebral disc.

9. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the first and second locations are disposed within an annulus fibrosis of the intervertebral disc.

10. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the treatment site is a tear extending through the annulus fibrosis, and the method includes the steps of positioning the flexible guidable region in a first orientation to extend substantially away from the tear during treatment, positioning the flexible guidable region in a second orientation to extend substantially across the tear during treatment, and positioning the flexible guidable region to extend substantially parallel to the tear during treatment.