A Prospective Study Comparing Platelet-Rich Plasma and Local Anesthetic (LA)/Corticosteroid in Intra-Articular Injection for the Treatment of Lumbar Facet Joint Syndrome

Background: Lumbar facet joints have been implicated as the source of chronic pain in 15% to 45% of patients with chronic low back pain. Various therapeutic techniques including intraarticular injections, medial branch blocks, and radiofrequency neurotomy of lumbar facet joint nerves have been described in the alleviation of chronic low back pain of facet joint origin. Objective: The study was conducted to determine the clinical effectiveness of therapeutic local anesthetic lumbar facet joint nerve blocks with or without steroid in managing chronic function-limiting low back pain of facet joint origin. Design: A randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Setting: An interventional pain management setting in the United States. Methods: This study included 60 patients in Group I with local anesthetic and 60 patients in Group II with local anesthetic and steroid. The inclusion criteria was based on the positive response to the diagnostic controlled comparative local anesthetic lumbar facet joint blocks. Outcome measures: Numeric pain scores, Oswestry Disability Index, opioid intake, and work status. All outcome assessments were performed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. Results: Significant improvement with significant pain relief (> 50%) and functional improvement (> 40%) were observed in 82% and 85% in Group I, with significant pain relief in over 82% of the patients and improvement in functional status in 78% of the patients. Based on the results of the present study, it appears that patients may experience significant pain relief 44 to 45 weeks of 1 year, requiring approximately 3 to 4 treatments with an average relief of 15 weeks per episode of treatment. Conclusion: Therapeutic lumbar facet joint nerve blocks, with or without steroid, may provide a management option for chronic function-limiting low back pain of facet joint origin. Key words: Chronic low back pain, lumbar facet or zygapophysial joint pain, facet joint nerve or medial branch blocks, comparative controlled local anesthetic blocks, therapeutic lumbar facet joint nerve blocks

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Indications for and benefits of lumbar facet joint block: analysis of 230 consecutive patients

Neurosurgical FOCUS ◽

10.3171/foc.2002.13.2.12 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 1-5 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Alan Bani ◽

Uwe Spetzger ◽

Joachim M. Gilsbach

Keyword(s):

Low Back Pain ◽

Back Pain ◽

Local Anesthetic ◽

Joint Pain ◽

Facet Joint ◽

Leg Pain ◽

Low Back ◽

Lumbar Facet Joint ◽

Facet Joint Pain ◽

Lumbar Facet

Object The authors evaluated the effectiveness of using a facet joint block with local anesthetic agents and or steroid medication for the treatment of low-back pain in a medium-sized series of patients. Methods Over a period of 4 years, the authors performed 715 facet joint injections in 230 patients with variable-length histories of low-back pain. The main parameter for the success or failure of this treatment was the relief of the pain. For the first injection—mainly a diagnostic procedure—the authors used a local anesthetic (1 ml bupivacaine 1%). In cases of good response, betamethasone was injected in a second session to achieve a longer-lasting effect. Long-lasting relief of the low-back pain and/or leg pain was reported by 43 patients (18.7%) during a mean follow-up period of 10 months. Thirty-five patients (15.2%) noticed a general improvement in their pain. Twenty-seven patients (11.7%) reported relief of low-back pain but not leg pain. Nine patients (3.9%) suffered no back pain but still leg pain. One hundred sixteen patients (50.4%), however, experienced no improvement of pain at all. In two cases the procedure had to be interrupted because of severe pain. There were no cases of infection or hematoma. Conclusions Lumbar facet joint block is a minimally invasive procedure to differentiate between facet joint pain and other causes of lower-back pain. The procedure seems to be useful for distinguishing between facet joint pain from postoperative pain due to inappropriate neural decompression after lumbar surgery. It can be also recommended as a possible midterm intervention for chronic low-back pain.

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Comparison of [18F] FDG-PET/MRI and Clinical Findings for Assessment of Suspected Lumbar Facet Joint Pain: A Prospective Study to Characterize Candidate Nonanatomic Imaging Biomarkers and Potential Impact on Management

American Journal of Neuroradiology ◽

10.3174/ajnr.a6224 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

V.T. Lehman ◽

F.E. Diehn ◽

S.M. Broski ◽

M.A. Nathan ◽

B.J. Kemp ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Joint Pain ◽

Facet Joint ◽

Clinical Findings ◽

Imaging Biomarkers ◽

Lumbar Facet Joint ◽

18F Fdg ◽

Potential Impact ◽

Facet Joint Pain ◽

A Prospective Study ◽

Lumbar Facet

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Incidence and pattern of epidural spread during lumbar facet joint injection: a prospective study

Acta Radiologica ◽

10.1177/0284185119874480 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 61 (5) ◽

pp. 636-643

Author(s):

Bo Reum Yoo ◽

Eugene Lee ◽

Joon Woo Lee ◽

Yusuhn Kang ◽

Joong Mo Ahn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prospective Study ◽

Facet Joint ◽

Contrast Material ◽

Joint Injection ◽

Lumbar Facet Joint ◽

Facet Joint Injection ◽

Exact Test ◽

Interlaminar Approach ◽

Contrast Pattern ◽

Lumbar Facet

Background In clinical practice, we have often observed contrast material spreading into the epidural space during lumbar facet joint injection. However, the exact incidence of epidural spread and contrast pattern have not been reported. Purpose To evaluate the incidence and pattern of epidural spread in lumbar facet joint injection. Material and Methods One hundred consecutive patients (38 men, 62 women; mean age 68 years; age range 20–88 years) who underwent lumbar facet joint injection at two sites between April 2014 and June 2014 were investigated in this prospective study. Initial oblique, final anteroposterior, and lateral fluoroscopic images were obtained and evaluated for the presence of epidural spread and its contrast pattern (based on direction and extent) with the consensus of three radiologists. The relationship between epidural spread and its potential predictors was analyzed using the chi-squared test, Fisher’s exact test, and the t-test. Results The incidence of epidural spread during lumbar facet joint injection was 64.6% (n=64) in 99 patients and 49.5% (n=95) in 192 procedures; ventral spread occurred in 29.2% and foraminal spread in 18.8%. When epidural spread occurred, the most commonly identified distributions were unilateral (73.7%), dorsal (92.6%), and cephalad (92.6%). Epidural spread increased significantly in the caudocephalic direction ( P < 0.0001), in men (relative risk [RR]=1.478), in the adjacency of posterior fusion level (RR=1.545), in patients with spondylolisthesis (RR=1.454), and when there was no other leakage (RR=0.334). Conclusion Epidural spread occurred at about half the number of lumbar facet joint injections and showed a contrast pattern similar to that seen with the interlaminar approach.

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A New Technique for the Treatment of Lumbar Facet Joint Syndrome Using Intra-articular Injection with Autologous Platelet Rich Plasma

January 2018 - Pain Physician ◽

10.36076/ppj/2016.19.617 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 8;19 (8;11) ◽

pp. 617-625

Author(s):

Qinyi Liu

Keyword(s):

Low Back Pain ◽

Back Pain ◽

Facet Joint ◽

Platelet Rich Plasma ◽

Low Back ◽

Lumbar Facet Joint ◽

Autologous Platelet Rich Plasma ◽

Lumbar Facet ◽

Autologous Platelet

Background and Objectives: Lumbar facet joint syndrome is currently suggested to be a main source of axial low back pain, and a large portion of axial low back pain is caused by disorders in lumbar facet joints. Intra-articular injection is one of the most common treatment methods in the early clinical application. Therefore, we attempt to seek a new injectable material, autologous platelet rich plasma (PRP), to treat lumbar facet syndrome, as well as to assess its therapeutic effectiveness and safety. Study Design: A prospective clinic evaluation. Setting: The outpatient clinic of a single academic medical center. Methods: Total 19 patients with lumbar facet joint syndrome (8 men, 11 women; mean ages: 52.53 ± 6.79 years, range: 38 – 62 years) were enrolled to receive lumbar facet joint injection with autologous PRP under x-ray fluoroscopic control. Patients were followed up immediately, at one week, one month, 2 months, and 3 months following treatment, and the elements of this analysis included low back pain visual analogue scale (VAS) at rest and during flexion, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMQ), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and modified MacNab criteria for the pain relief. Results: All the 19 patients completed the intra-articular injections with autologous PRP successfully. At one week after treatment, low back pain reduced significantly compared with prior to treatment both at rest and during flexion. The outcomes were assessed as “good” or “excellent” for 9 patients (47.37%) immediately after treatment, 14 patients (73.68%) at one week, 15 patients (78.95%) at one month, 15 patients (78.95%) at 2 months, and 15 patients (78.95%) at 3 months. Statistically significant differences were observed based on RMQ and a more than 10% improvement in lumbar functional capacity was observed based on ODI between pre-treatment and post-treatment. In addition, there were no severe relevant complications during the whole process of injection and follow-up period. Limitations: A control group and the curative effect observations with longer follow-up may lead to a more convincing result for our study. Conclusions: In the short-term period of 3 months, the new technique of lumbar facet joint injection with autologous PRP is effective and safe for patients with lumbar facet joint syndrome. Key words: Low back pain, lumbar facet joint syndrome, autologous platelet rich plasma, intra-articular injection

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