
Illustration of pulsed radiofrequency applied to nerve root
A minimally invasive procedure in which pulses of energy from a probe are applied directly to nerve roots near the spine is safe and effective in people with acute lower back pain that has not responded to conservative treatment, according to a study being presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Lumbar disk herniation is a common, often debilitating, condition that affects the disks that act as cushions between the vertebrae of the lower spine. Herniation occurs where the jelly-like material in the center of the disk bulges through a tear in the disk’s tough exterior layer and puts pressure on the roots of the nerves. Herniated disks are often the source of sciatica, or pain that radiates downward from the lower back into the leg.
Conservative treatment options for herniated disks range from over-the-counter pain medications to injections of corticosteroids directly into the affected area of the spine. Those who don’t respond may require surgery. In some cases, the entire disk must be removed and the vertebra fused together for stability.
An alternative technique, CT-guided pulsed radiofrequency (pRF), applies energy through an electrode under CT guidance to the portion of the nerve responsible for sending pain signals.
“Pulsed radiofrequency creates a nerve modulation, significantly reducing inflammation and its associated symptoms,” said study senior author Alessandro Napoli, M.D., Ph.D., professor of interventional radiology at Sapienza University of Rome in Italy.
Dr. Napoli and colleagues studied the approach in patients with back pain from lumbar disk herniation that had not responded to prolonged conservative treatment. In 128 patients, the pRF treatment was delivered directly under CT guidance to the root of the nerve. The treatment was applied for 10 minutes.
For comparison, a group of 120 patients received one to three sessions of CT-guided steroid injection on the same anatomical target with no pRF.
The one-year outcomes demonstrated that CT-guided pRF was superior to the injection-only strategy. Patients who received pRF saw greater overall improvement in pain and disability scores during the first year. Relief of leg pain was faster in patients assigned to pRF, and they also reported a faster rate of perceived recovery. The probability of perceived recovery after one year of follow-up was 95 percent in the pRF group, compared with 61 percent in the injection only group.
“Given our study results, we offer pulsed radiofrequency to patients with herniated disk and sciatic nerve compression whose symptoms do not benefit from conservative therapy,” Dr. Napoli said.
The results of the study are superior to those typically reported for usual care strategies and injections and may help a substantial number of patients with sciatic disk compression to avoid surgery, Dr. Napoli added.
The use of pRF also could improve outcomes for patients set to receive corticosteroid injections.
“We learned that when pulsed radiofrequency is followed by steroid injection, the result is longer lasting and more efficacious than injection only,” Dr. Napoli said. “The effect of pulsed radiofrequency is fast and without adverse events.”
Today, therapy for spine disorders allows for definitive treatment of symptoms and conditions using different techniques and technologies.
“Of the different therapies available, pulsed radiofrequency is among the least invasive,” Dr. Napoli said. “Treatment lasts 10 minutes, and one session was enough in a large number of treated patients.”
Learn more: Pulsed Radiofrequency Relieves Acute Back Pain and Sciatica
The Latest on: Pulsed radiofrequency
[google_news title=”” keyword=”pulsed radiofrequency” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Pulsed radiofrequency
- Cut in AF Burden Gains Traction as Gauge of Ablation Success: PULSED-AFon May 24, 2023 at 2:12 pm
It's more useful in practice than how trials usually rate AF ablation success, which "is arbitrary, lacks significance, and is highly dependent on the monitoring strategy," an expert said.
- Reviewers Say These At-Home Laser Hair Removal Devices Really Workon May 23, 2023 at 6:52 am
The best laser hair removal devices in 2023 for at-home use that are dermatologist-recommended and loved by reviewers for face, body, and Brazilian area.
- The Havana Syndrome: Unraveling the Mysteryon May 3, 2023 at 1:17 am
However, they mentioned “significant research in Russia/U.S.S.R.” on pulsed radiofrequency technology, as well as the exposure to microwave radiation of U.S. intelligence and military ...
- Pulsed Radiofrequency + Steroids Best for Sciatica From Herniated Discon April 4, 2023 at 3:36 am
TUESDAY, April 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- A combination of pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) and transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) treatment is better than TFESI alone for pain relief ...
- Pulsed radiofrequency therapy may improve sciatica painon March 30, 2023 at 12:06 am
The minimally invasive procedure, called pulsed radiofrequency (RF), provided superior pain reduction and disability improvement out to one year for patients with sciatica, according to findings ...
- Best way to relieve chronic pain of sciatica revealedon March 28, 2023 at 11:58 am
Another treatment that researchers have studied for sciatica pain relief is pulsed radiofrequency - a minimally invasive procedure in which pulses of energy from a probe are applied directly to ...
- Pulsed Gaseous Maseron December 11, 2022 at 5:59 pm
OPTICAL, maser oscillation has been obtained during the recombination period following a pulsed radiofrequency or d.c. discharge in helium mixed with either neon or carbon monoxide at wave-lengths ...
- Pulsed Radiofrequency Relieves Acute Back Pain and Sciatica (1 of 2) (IMAGE)on July 31, 2021 at 11:57 pm
Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert ...
- Popular new treatment relieves chronic painon August 13, 2018 at 12:07 pm
Berger gives many patients relief with /*pulsed radio frequency*/, which targets the nerves. "They are essentially rendered short-circuited to transmitting painful impulses," Berger said.
via Bing News