New England Baptist Spine Center  Injection Clinic General Instructions You are scheduled to have an injection with Dr. Keel. There are steps you need to take to prepare.

Call 617-754-5246 to schedule your injection.

Call 617-754-6000 to PRE-REGISTER for your injection.


 

In preparation for your procedure:

• Have a reliable escort who will be able to drive you to and from the clinic and assist you on the procedure day.
• Have only light meals in the four hours prior to your appointment. For certain procedures, you may be asked to not eat or drink for several hours prior to the procedure.
• Let us know in advance if you are on Plavix (clopidogrel), Coumadin (warfarin) or any other anticoagulant. Do not stop taking these medications without detailed instructions from your doctor.
• Let us know in advance if you have fevers, recent infections of any type or are on antibiotics, or have had recent immunizations. Do not stop taking your antibiotics until specifically instructed by the prescribing doctor.
• Let us know in advance if there is any chance you could be pregnant or trying, or if you are breastfeeding.
• Let us know in advance if you have ever fainted or become light-headed during medical procedures, such as while having blood drawn. If so, you may need an IV to have the procedure.
• Let us know if you have medication allergies or latex allergy, or other adverse reactions.
• Plan on a two-hour total visit time approximately. The procedure itself does not take long, but preparation and care afterwards are included.
• We clean your skin with special cleaning solution that might stain light-colored clothes.  
• For most procedures you will not receive sedation. It is important for you to be awake and responsive during the procedure.
• Plan to arrive early. You need to arrive about 30-60 minutes prior to the scheduled injection time, depending on instructions given to you.
• Please hand-carry any imaging or medical records that you have been instructed to provide.
• If you have diabetes, and your procedure includes steroid, you will need to monitor your blood sugar more carefully for about two weeks after your procedure.
• Please let Dr. Keel know if you have questions or concerns about the procedure.

During this procedure you will lay comfortably on a special bed, usually on your belly. We will clean your skin with a special solution. A local anesthetic or numbing medicine will be given. A portable x-ray machine will usually be used to carefully view your spine and other bones. We ask that you remain very still for this part – even moving your head a little changes the position of the rest of your body. Most of the procedure involves getting the right view with the x-ray machine. Some contrast solution may be given. At last, the injection itself is very precisely placed. Most injections take about 20 minutes.

During the procedure, tell Dr. Keel if you want to stop, if you feel bad pain, or if you feel pain going into your limbs. Also tell Dr. Keel if you feel bad in any way during the procedure. These things usually do not happen.

Our nurses will check on you before and after the procedure. Afterwards, we like to observe you for 20-30 minutes before you go home.

Before having any medical procedure, you should understand there are risks and benefits:

• Most of the Spine Injection Clinic procedures are elective, meaning that you are not absolutely required to have them, but you may choose to do so.
• Bleeding, infection and allergy or adverse medication reaction are common side effects from medical procedures. Your risks are very small if: you are not on anticoagulants and do not have bleeding problems; you do not have recent fevers or infections and are not taking antibiotics for infections; you are not allergic to products we use.
• Sometimes people feel queasy, faint, or lightheaded when they have injections or have blood drawn.
• Sometimes the injection may not work to help your pain. Infrequently, injection can make pain worse temporarily. Sometimes it gets worse before it gets better.
• Infrequently, a headache from spinal fluid leak can happen after spine injections. Let us know if you have any new headaches after your injection.
• Sometimes the numbing medication can temporarily block the nerves that control your muscles. If this happens, it can cause weakness for several hours. This is one reason it is important not to drive a vehicle on the procedure day. This temporary weakness can also increase your risk of falling for a few hours.
• We take spine procedures seriously. There have been people who have had injuries to nerves or spinal cord, or paralysis after spine procedures. We use the correct imaging techniques and protocols to prevent such injuries.

Thank you for choosing the New England Baptist Spine Center!