Percutaneous hydrotomy is of increasing interest to patients suffering from chronic pain, but finding a practitioner trained in this technique remains a challenging journey. Between the disciplinary sanctions that have led some professionals to discretion, incomplete specialized directories, and the absence of official recognition of the practice, the search channels are not all equal. This article compares the main sources of information available and their respective limitations.
Regulatory status of percutaneous hydrotomy in France: what conditions the search
Before looking for a practitioner, it is essential to understand why the search is complicated. The medical and nursing councils do not recognize percutaneous hydrotomy as a validated technique. Several healthcare professionals have been sanctioned for practicing it, which has led the International Association of Percutaneous Hydrotomy (AIHP) to stop publicly sharing the contact details of its practitioners in France.
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Dr. Bernard Guez, a historical figure in the technique, confirmed on the AIHP website that this decision aims to protect the practice of healthcare professionals while awaiting the outcome of an ongoing procedure. A request for evaluation has been sent to the Ministry of Health, but no official response has been made public to date.
This situation creates a paradox: the technique exists, practitioners offer it, but official channels do not allow for their direct identification. Therefore, it is necessary to cross-reference several sources to build a reliable search, starting with consulting a list of practitioners in percutaneous hydrotomy that lists trained professionals by geographic area.
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Directories and research sources: comparison of available channels
Patients have several types of resources to locate a practitioner. Their reliability and comprehensiveness vary significantly.
| Source | Type of information | Ordinal verification | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIHP (official site) | List of trained practitioners | Not integrated | French contact details removed |
| Resalib | Directory of alternative medicine | No | Voluntary listing, not exhaustive |
| e-health directory (ANS) | RPPS status of the professional | Yes | Does not mention the techniques practiced |
| Word of mouth / forums | Patient feedback | No | Unverifiable information |
No single source is sufficient to guarantee both the training and the legal status of the practitioner. The AIHP directory remains the reference to verify that a professional has undergone training, but it no longer openly covers metropolitan France.
On the other hand, the national e-health directory, managed by the Digital Health Agency, allows for verification of the RPPS number and the practice status of any healthcare professional. This step is rarely mentioned by specialized percutaneous hydrotomy sites, which refer to their own lists without cross-referencing the actual regulatory status.
Verifying a practitioner in percutaneous hydrotomy via the RPPS: a neglected step
The Shared Directory of Healthcare Professionals (RPPS) lists all doctors and nurses authorized to practice in France. Verifying a practitioner’s RPPS registration protects against the risks of illegal practice, especially in a context where disciplinary sanctions have affected the profession.
The process is simple: the e-health directory (esante.gouv.fr) offers a search by name and location. The result indicates whether the professional is active, their declared specialty, and their place of practice. The technique of percutaneous hydrotomy does not appear as a specialty (it is not codified), but the “active” status confirms that the practitioner is not subject to a prohibition on practice.
This verification does not replace confirmation of specific training. The most reliable method consists of cross-referencing two pieces of information:
- The practitioner is listed on a list of professionals trained in percutaneous hydrotomy (AIHP or specialized directory)
- Their RPPS number is active on the e-health directory, with no mention of ongoing sanctions
- They practice as a state-certified doctor or nurse, the only profiles authorized to perform injections
Percutaneous hydrotomy and mesotherapy: distinguishing practitioners
A common confusion complicates the search: percutaneous hydrotomy and mesotherapy share a similar technical gesture (localized subcutaneous injections), but differ in their protocol and theoretical framework. Mesotherapy uses microdoses of medication, while percutaneous hydrotomy relies on the injection of physiological serum, sometimes combined with trace elements or vitamins.
A mesotherapy doctor is not automatically trained in percutaneous hydrotomy. Conversely, some practitioners trained in hydrotomy also practice mesotherapy. When making contact, it is advisable to explicitly ask whether the professional has undergone training provided by the AIHP.
Platforms like Resalib sometimes group these two practices under the same “alternative medicine” category, making filtering less precise. Asking for the exact framework of the training remains the most discriminating criterion.
Searching for a practitioner outside France
For patients residing in Belgium, Switzerland, or other countries, the situation is different. The AIHP maintains an international list accessible from its website, with a dedicated contact form. Practitioners trained in these countries are not subject to the same ordinal constraints as in France.
The verification criteria remain the same in their logic:
- Confirm training with the AIHP via the international contact form
- Verify the professional’s practice status with the health authority of the concerned country
- Prefer a certified doctor or nurse rather than a practitioner without recognized health credentials
The search for a practitioner in percutaneous hydrotomy today relies on a cross-referencing effort between specialized sources and administrative verifications. The intersection of the AIHP list and the e-health directory constitutes the safest method for patients in France. As long as the technique has not undergone official evaluation by health authorities, this double verification will remain the only accessible guarantee.