Therapy Lumbar Facet Joint Pain Utilizing Radiofrequency Ablation (Radiofrequency Neurotomy)

Of the several chronic back pain sufferers in the us, just less than half (45%) experience the facet joints as their pain generator. This has the name facet joint syndrome. Facet joint injections are the most typical interventional pain management procedure by far in the usa. They work well about 80% almost daily.

Making the diagnosis of their facet joint syndrome isn't easy with simply a back ground, physical examination, and imaging studies. Similar to arthritis in other body joints when the knee and hip, the use of arthritis does not mean the patient will have pain. Endstage degenerative arthritis 's present with the thoughtful experiencing minimal pain.

The best method available for determining although the majority of a patient has facet joint syndrome is a good diagnostic injection into the joint. This injection is when a pain doctor instructions a diagnostic injection of numbing medicine even so the facet joint to numb up the small nerve endings supplying sensation on the other hand joint (and pain). When your patient's pain is substantially relieved in the numbing injection, then checking out facet joint syndrome means cemented.

Facet joint intra-articular injection and medial branch blocks have been shown provide on average a few to seven months of reduction. When the pain dons off, the injections is probably repeated with similarly strong results.

In the 1970's and 80's, radiofrequency denervation was developed responsible for and modified as it had been more successful. It has become popular as clinical research studies have shown very good outcomes with the procedure.

Radiofrequency ablation involves putting a catheter comparable area as where on your medial branch block is performed. Rather than injecting the numbing medicine at that point, the tip of the only real catheter is heated with radiofrequency waves and likewise tiny little nerve being are deadened.

Results of studies that can cause done looking at radiofrequency neurotomy are generally encouraging. Good to excellent added benefits after RF procedures are generally 70-90% for a time with pain being relieved for up to 2 years. This is definitely longer than facet joint injections. Eventually the medial branches which had been deadened will regenerate and likewise pain may return. At that point the procedure may aesthetically be repeated. The RF procedure may allow patients to decrease their pain medication will be needing substantially.

It should be evident that patients may temporarily see increased pain performing a radiofrequency ablation. This may be due to muscle spasms of this procedure. Typically within per week the pain relief get started and the benefits might be noticed.

RF procedures are executed in an outpatient scenario. They can be shaped under local numbing and/or IV sedation. The procedure is predominantly safe utilizing low risk profile, but you'll find tons potential complications. Those are made dural puncture, spinal cable television trauma, infection, painful dysethesias/hyperesthesia, or perhaps a increased pain.

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