Percutaneous pulsed radiofrequency applied to the L-2 dorsal root ganglion for treatment of chronic low-back pain: 3-year experience. Tsou HK, Chao SC, Wang CJ, et al. J Neurosurg Spine 2010;12(2):190–6.

Many treatment options for chronic low back pain are available, including varied forms of electric stimulation. But little is known about the electricity effect between electro-acupuncture and pulsed radiofrequency. The objective of this study is to assess the difference in effectiveness of pain relief between pulsed radiofrequency and electro-acupuncture. Visual analog score (VAS) pain score, the Oswestry disability index (ODI) to measure a patient's permanent functional disability, and Short form 36 (SF-36) which is a survey used in health assessment to determine the cost-effectiveness of a health treatment, were used as rating systems to measure the pain relief and functional improvement effect of pulsed radiofrequency and electro-acupuncture, based on the methodological quality of the randomized controlled trials, the relevance between the study groups, and the consistency of the outcome evaluation. First, the baseline status before therapy shows no age and gender influence in the SF-36 and VAS score but it is significant in the ODI questionnaire. From ANOVA analyses, it is apparent that radiofrequency therapy is a significant improvement over electro-acupuncture therapy after one month. But electro-acupuncture also showed functional improvement in the lumbar spine from the ODI. This study provides sufficient evidence of the superiority of pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) therapy for low back pain relief compared with both electro-acupuncture (EA) therapy and the control group. But the functional improvement of the lumbar spine was proved under EA therapy only. Both therapies are related to electricity effects.

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Bilateral L1 and L2 dorsal root ganglion blocks for discogenic low-back pain

British Journal of Anaesthesia ◽

10.1093/bja/aep166 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 103 (3) ◽

pp. 416-419 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

J. Richardson ◽

N. Collinghan ◽

A.J. Scally ◽

S. Gupta

Keyword(s):

Low Back Pain ◽

Back Pain ◽

Dorsal Root Ganglion ◽

Dorsal Root ◽

Low Back ◽

Discogenic Low Back Pain ◽

L1 And L2

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Dorsal root ganglion compression as an animal model of sciatica and low back pain

Neuroscience Bulletin ◽

10.1007/s12264-012-1276-9 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 28 (5) ◽

pp. 618-630 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Xiao-Yu Lin ◽

Jing Yang ◽

Hui-Ming Li ◽

San-Jue Hu ◽

Jun-Ling Xing

Keyword(s):

Animal Model ◽

Low Back Pain ◽

Back Pain ◽

Dorsal Root Ganglion ◽

Dorsal Root ◽

Low Back

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Percutaneous pulsed radiofrequency applied to the L-2 dorsal root ganglion for treatment of chronic low-back pain: 3-year experience

Journal of Neurosurgery Spine ◽

10.3171/2009.9.spine08946 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 190-196 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Hsi-Kai Tsou ◽

Shao-Ching Chao ◽

Chao-Jan Wang ◽

Hsien-Te Chen ◽

Chiung-Chyi Shen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Low Back Pain ◽

Back Pain ◽

Pain Relief ◽

Chronic Low Back Pain ◽

Lower Limb ◽

Low Back ◽

Pulsed Radiofrequency ◽

Limb Pain ◽

Lower Limb Pain

Object The authors assessed the effectiveness of percutaneous pulsed radiofrequency treatment for providing pain relief in patients with chronic low-back pain with or without lower-limb pain. Methods Data were obtained in 127 patients who had chronic low-back pain with or without lower-limb pain due to a herniated intervertebral disc or previous failed back surgery and who underwent pulsed radiofrequency treatment. Their conditions were proven by clinical features, physical examination, and imaging studies. Low-back pain was treated with pulsed radiofrequency applied to the L-2 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and lower-limb pain was treated with pulsed radiofrequency applied to the L3–S1 DRG. Patients underwent uni- or bilateral treatment depending on whether their low-back pain was unilateral or bilateral. A visual analog scale was used to assess pain. The patients were followed up for 3 years postoperatively. Results In patients without lower-limb pain (Group A), 27 (55.10%) of 49 patients had initial improvement ≥ 50% at 3-month follow-up. At 1-year follow-up, 20 (44.44%) of 45 patients in Group A had pain relief ≥ 50%. An analysis of patients with pain relief ≥ 50% for at least 1 month showed that the greatest effect was at 3 months after treatment. In patients with low-back pain and lower-limb pain (Group B), 37 (47.44%) of 78 patients had initial improvement ≥ 50% at 3-month follow-up. At 1-year follow-up, 34 (45.95%) of 74 patients had pain relief effect ≥ 50%. An analysis of patients in Group B with pain relief ≥ 50% for at least 1 month showed that the greatest effect was at 1 month after treatment. Conclusions The results of this prospective analysis showed that treatment with pulsed radiofrequency applied at the L-2 DRG is safe and effective for treating for chronic low-back pain. Satisfactory pain relief was obtained in the majority of patients in Group A with the effect persisting for at least 3 months. The results indicate that pulsed radiofrequency provided intermediate-term relief of low-back pain. Further studies with long-term follow-up are necessary.

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