Spinal treatment apparatus and method

A method for decompressing of a nerve of a subject, the method comprising:

• inserting into a spinal canal of a subject, an intradural catheter that includes an inflatable element disposed at a distal portion of the intradural catheter;
• advancing the intradural catheter toward a compressed nerve in a vicinity of a neural foramen in the spinal canal;
• inflating, through the intradural catheter, the inflatable element around the nerve such that:
• (a) the nerve is disposed in a cavity that is at least partially surrounded by an inner wall of the inflatable element, and (b) an outer wall of the inflatable element is inflated outwardly to apply pressure in a direction that is away from the nerve, thereby decompressing the nerve.

An apparatus, comprising:

• an intradural catheter configured to be passed into a spinal canal of the subject and to be advanced toward a nerve in a vicinity of a neural foramen in the spinal canal;
• an inflatable element disposed at a distal end of the intradural catheter and configured to be inflated from a collapsed sate to an inflated state in the neural foramen, such that in the inflated state the inflatable element is shaped to define a near side and a far side;
• and
• at least one electrode coupled to the inflatable element and configured to sense nerve activity of the nerve;
• wherein the inflatable element is configured to be inflated, in proximity to the nerve such that (a) the near side faces the nerve and (b) the far side faces away from the nerve, the far side being configured to be inflated outwardly to apply pressure in a direction that is away from the nerve.