** click the blue article titles below for the abstracts
note: recent additions will be added to the top of the list
6 - Effectiveness of repeated radiofrequency neurotomy for lumbar facet pain
- Spine. 2004 Nov 1;29(21):2471-3.
- Each RF neurotomy had a mean duration of relief = 10.5 months
- The repeat ablations were successful more than 85% of the time (and some of the patients had up to 4 repeated procedures)
- Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2001 Sep-Oct;26(5):394-400
- “…there is moderate evidence that RF lumbar facet denervation is more effective for chronic low back pain than placebo.”
4 - Efficacy and validity of radiofrequency neurotomy for chronic lumbar zygapophysial joint pain
- Spine. 2000 May 15;25(10):1270-7.
- “…effective means of reducing pain in patients carefully selected on the basis of controlled diagnostic blocks.”
- Correct positioning of the electrode should be based on radiographic anatomy, not by means of measuring impedance.
- 90% relief of pain at 12 months in 60% of patients
- Can J Neurol Sci. 2000 May;27(2):125-30.
- Exacerbation of pain with extension of the spine did NOT correlate with better results.
- Success was consistent with repeated procedures.
2 - Randomized trial of radiofrequency lumbar facet denervation for chronic low back pain
- Spine. 1999 Sep 15;24(18):1937-42.
- 31 patients with at least one year of chronic low back pain
- Compared radiofrequency denervation vs sham procedure [double-blind, randomized trial]
- Significantly more success patients in the radiofrequency group compared with the sham group.
1 - Percutaneous radiofrequency lumbar facet rhizotomy in mechanical low back pain syndrome
- Stereotact Funct Neurosurg. 1997;68(1-4 Pt 1):212-7.
- 71% of 324 patients had marked improvement of pain (including 29 cases with previous spinal surgery)
- No complications
