title: [Selective percutaneous dorsal root ganglion radiofrequency thermocoagulation guided by CT scanning in treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present the experience in a technique used to treat intractable postherpetic neuralgia (PHN)-percutaneous dorsal root ganglion (DGR) radiofrequency thermocoagulation guided by CT scanning.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen PHN patients underwent puncture of radiohealing needle into the superior 1/3 of the corresponding intervertebral foramen guided by CT. Electric stimulation test and impedance test were conducted to confirm the right spot. Radiofrequency heat coagulation therapy under the condition of 90 degrees C 90 s was performed for 3 cycles. Then mixture of betamethasone and lidocain was injected and the needle was pulled out. CT was conducted to observe if pneumothorax occurred. The patients were followed up for 2-16 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Radiofrequency thermocoagulation was performed on 45 target dorsal root ganglia in 16 PHN patients with the effect of immediate disappearance of hyperalgesia. Remaining spontaneous pain was seen in 5 cases, however, with decreases of attack frequency and severity. The visual analogue pain scale score was decreased from 7-9 before the procedure to 2-3 after the procedure. No relapse was found during the follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Selective percutaneous DRG radiofrequency thermocoagulation guided by CT scanning is effective in treatment of PHN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing Medical College, Jiaxing 314000, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xu-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Ya-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ze-Feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Jian-Liang
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Guo-Shui
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Sheng-Mei
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Han-Guang
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Zheng