title: Treatment of chronic lumbosacral radicular pain using adjuvant pulsed radiofrequency: a randomized controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to determine the effects of combining pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) treatment and transforaminal epidural injection (TFEI) to treat patients with chronic refractory lumbar radicular pain caused by lumbar spinal stenosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized control trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interventional pain management practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-two patients were assigned to the study groups (PRF group = 31; control group = 31). Under fluoroscopic guidance, the RF needle was positioned close to the lumbar dorsal root ganglion. The PRF group received 3 cycles of PRF treatment, and sensory stimulation without RF lesioning was applied to the control group. After PRF or sham lesioning, a local anesthetic with steroid was injected. The primary outcome of a successful response was defined as: 1) ≥50% or 4-point pain reduction in the numerical rating scale (NRS) without an increase in the Oswestry disability index (ODI) or medication quantification scale (MQS), or mean score <4 in the global perceived effect (GPE) scale; or 2) ≥30% or 2-point pain reduction in NRS with a simultaneous decrease in ODI, MQS, or ≥6 points in the GPE scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of patients with successful treatment results was higher in the PRF group at 2 months (P = 0.032) and 3 months (P = 0.018). No significant differences were observed in terms of the secondary outcome variables between the 2 groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The TFEI provided significant short-term pain relief and PRF can be applied in conjunction with TFEI to achieve higher treatment efficacy compared with TFEI alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Wonuk
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Seong-Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Myong Hwan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Karm
authors.forename: Jeong Hun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Jeong Gil
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Leem
authors.forename: Jae Do
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young Ki
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jinwoo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007268:Injections, Epidural; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000379:methods; D061208:Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment / Q000379:methods*; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local
keywords: Epidural Injection; Pulsed Radiofrequency; Radiculopathy; Randomized Controlled Trial