Radiofrequency for the Treatment of Lumbar Radicular Pain: Impact on Surgical Indications.
Study Design. Quasiexperimental study. Objective. To investigate whether radiofrequency treatment can preclude the need for spinal surgery in both the short term and long term. Background. Radiofrequency is commonly used to treat lumbosacral radicular pain. Only few studies have evaluated its effects on surgical indications. Methods. We conducted a quasiexperimental study of 43 patients who had been scheduled for spinal surgery. Radiofrequency was indicated for 25 patients. The primary endpoint was the decision of the patient to reject spinal surgery 1 month and 1 year after treatment (pulsed radiofrequency of dorsal root ganglion, 76%; conventional radiofrequency of the medial branch, 12%; combined technique, 12%). The primary endpoint was the decision of the patient to reject spinal surgery 1 month and 1 year after treatment. In addition, we also evaluated adverse effects, ODI, NRS. Results. We observed after treatment with radiofrequency 80% of patients rejected spinal surgery in the short term and 76% in the long term. We conclude that radiofrequency is a useful treatment strategy that can achieve very similar outcomes to spinal surgery. Patients also reported a very high level of satisfaction (84% satisfied/very satisfied). We also found that optimization of the electrical parameters of the radiofrequency improved the outcome of this technique.
Pain Unit, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University Hospital "Puerta del Mar", Avenida Ana de Viya 21, 11009 Cádiz, Spain.
José Manuel
JM
Trinidad
Pain Unit, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University Hospital "Puerta del Mar", Avenida Ana de Viya 21, 11009 Cádiz, Spain.
Ana Isabel
AI
Carnota
Preventive Medicine and Health Public Area, University of Cádiz, Avenida Ana de Viya 52, 11009 Cádiz, Spain.
Inmaculada
I
Failde
Pain Unit, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University Hospital "Puerta del Mar", Avenida Ana de Viya 21, 11009 Cádiz, Spain ; Surgery Department, University of Cádiz, Plaza Fragela 9, 1003 Cádiz, Spain.
Luis Miguel
LM
Torres