Long-term pain relief in patients with cervicogenic headaches after pulsed radiofrequency application into the lateral atlantoaxial (C1-2) joint using an anterolateral approach.
The lateral atlantoaxial joint has long been reported as a source of cervicogenic headache. We present a retrospective study, including 86 patients who had undergone lateral C1-2 joint pulsed radiofrequency application, for cervicogenic headache in a single pain center from March 2007 to December 2008. The percentage of patients who had >or=50% pain relief at 2 months, 6 months, and 1 year were 50% (43/86), 50% (43/86), and 44.2% (38/86), respectively. Long-term pain relief at 6 months and 1 year were predicted reliably by >or=50% pain relief at 2 months (P < 0.001). Apart from 1 patient that complained of increased severity of occipital headache lasting several hours, we had no other reported complications.
Halim
Willy
W
St. Anna Zorggroep, Anesthesia and Pain Management, Geldrop, the Netherlands.
Chua
Nicholas H L
NH
Vissers
Kris C
KC
D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D051298:Post-Traumatic Headache / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome