title: Percutaneous pulsed radiofrequency in the treatment of cervical and lumbar radicular pain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous reports of the efficacy of percutaneous pulsed radiofrequency have been confounded by fewer case numbers, poor patient selection, and limited data on cervical or lumbar radicular pain. We used percutaneous pulsed radiofrequency for cervical and lumbar radicular pain, and the study has more than 100 cases for the analysis of the efficacy of percutaneous pulsed radiofrequency.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected 154 cases of patients with lumbar or cervical radicular pain due to a herniated intervertebral disk or previous failed surgery. They underwent pulsed radiofrequency therapy in 2 to 4 spinal levels unilaterally. Follow-up period was from 1 week to 1 year postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-six (53.06%) of 49 patients and 59 (50.86%) of 116 patients after cervical and lumbar pulsed radiofrequency stimulation, respectively, had an initial improvement of 50% or more in the first week of follow-up. Twenty-seven (55.10%) of 49 patients and 52 (44.83%) of 116 patients after cervical and lumbar pulsed radiofrequency stimulation, respectively, had pain relief of 50% or more at the follow-up period of 3 months. In the analysis of patients with pain relief of 50% or more for at least 1 month, the most effective period was during postoperation 1 month later. No complication was found among these patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this retrospective analysis showed that the application of pulsed radiofrequency is a safe and useful intervention for cervical and lumbar radicular pain. The satisfactory pain relief obtained by most of our patients justifies the start of this study for at least 6 months. Although pulsed radiofrequency appears to provide intermediate-term relief of pain, further studies with long-term follow-up are necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan 40705, ROC.
authors.forename: Shao-Ching
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Hsu-Tung
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ting-Hsien
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Meng-Yin
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yuang-Seng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Tsuei
authors.forename: Chiung-Chyi
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Hsi-Kai
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Tsou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome