What she may be having is Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA). RFA is a great treatment option and at her age and if it works it can postpone surgery or perhaps eliminate the need to do surgery.
RFA can often be done in the treatment suite of a Pain Mangement doctor or in an outpatient center if the doctor can't do it in his own treatment suite. My first pain management doctor didn't have a treatment suite on site at his office so he used the outpatient surgery center nearby. My current pain management doctor does have a treatment suite on site at the office and I had my RFA done there.
The patient has an IV started and walks in to the treatment room (or can be wheeled in as needed or as required by the facility). A small dose of versed (or something similar) is given as a medication to relax the patient. Versed is wonderful as it results in conscious sedation where the patient is technically awake but does not realize it and doesn't recall what occurred while on the medication (Versed is often used in colonoscopies and thus it makes that a very easy test as the patient recalls nothing). They also administer some pain medication via the IV as well.
Once the IV medications have been started the doctor inserts a small needle into the general area where the pain is originating from. Using a fluoroscopic x-ray the doctor guides a needle to the target area and a tiny microelectrode is inserted through the needle to begin the process. The doctor may ask the patient if they feel pain or tingling and where (again, the person is conscious at a level where they can answer this question but they will not recall being asked anything in most cases). When the doctor knows he/she reached the right point a small radio-frequency current is sent through he electrode to the target area causing the tissue or nerve to heat. At the same time usually a bit more pain medication is given so the patient doesn't feel the actual RFA.
Afterward the patient is kept for 30-60 minutes to see how they are doing. They are either sitting in a reclining chair or perhaps on a gurney. Then they are released to go home and rest that day (no driving or strenuous activity for at least 24 hours). Sometimes there is leg nurabness or mild back discomfort for the first few days but that is expected to subside. It can thus take a few days after (I'd say even a week or two) for the patient to judge if their pain has changed and how, so they'll likely have an appointment set up for 1-2 weeks after the RFA to talk to the doctor about how they are feeling.
I had an RFA done in my sacroiliac joint (SI Joint) which is where the lowest part of the spine (sacro) meets the pelvis (iliac). It worked very well for about 9 months and I think I may need to do it again this Fall. Sometimes the same nerve or tissue is again irritated or causing pain so this can be done once a year if needed. Even if it is, it's easier than recovery from a surgery.
