title: Comparison of effectiveness of facet joint injection and radiofrequency denervation in chronic low back pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study was conducted to compare the clinical effectiveness of FJ injections (FJI) and FJ radiofrequency (FJRF) denervation in patients with chronic low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 100 patients; 50 in FJI 50 in FJRF group. VNS, NASS and EQ-5D were used to evaluate the outcomes. All outcome assessments were performed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FJI in early post-op but FJRF in 1st, 6th and 12th month VNS showed better results (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the 1st (p=1) and 6th month (p=0.13) but in 12th month (p=0.04) in NASS. Increase in level number showed positive effect in NASS in FJRF group (p=0.018) but no effect in FJI group (p=0.823) in the 12th month follow-up. There was no significant difference with respect to 1st month (p=0.17), 6th month (p=0.22) and 12th month (p=0.11) post-procedure follow-ups in EQ-5D. At the short term FJI was more effective than FJRF however in midterm follow-up FJRF had more satisfying results than FJRF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, the first choice should be the FJI and if pain reoccurs after a period of time or injection is not effective, RF procedure should be used for the treatment of chronic lumbar pain.
authors.affiliation: Baskent University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erdinc
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Civelek
authors.forename: Tufan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cansever
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kabatas
authors.forename: Atilla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kircelli
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Musluman
authors.forename: Demet
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ofluoglu
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Caner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D003714:Denervation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections / Q000379:methods; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000077555:Methylprednisolone Acetate; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods; D011859:Radiography; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D021801:Zygapophyseal Joint / Q000294:innervation
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000077555:Methylprednisolone Acetate; D008775:Methylprednisolone