Percutaneous Radiofrequency Facet Rhizotomy for Cervical Dorsal Ramus Syndrome.
- Author:
Tack Geun CHO
1
;
Sung Nam HWANG
;
Seung Won PARK
;
Taek Kyun NAM
;
Hyun Jong HONG
;
Young Baeg KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea. tarheelk@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Chronic neck pain;
Cervical dorsal ramus syndrome;
Radiofrequency facet rhizotomy
- MeSH:
Constriction, Pathologic;
Electrodes;
Fractures, Compression;
Humans;
Hypesthesia;
Neck Pain;
Rhizotomy*;
Sprains and Strains
- From:Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
2006;40(6):419-422
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: Radiofrequency facet rhizotomy(RFFR) has been widely performed for treatment of chronic neck pain caused by cervical dorsal ramus syndrome(CDRS). To evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of RFFR in the patients with CDRS, we analyzed patients with various cervical pathologic conditions. METHODS: The therapeutic results in forty-four patients who underwent RFFR for CDRS from January, 2000 to December, 2002 were analyzed according to the underlying pathologic conditions causing CDRS. The pathologic conditions were sprain (33 cases), herniated nucleus pulposus (6), foraminal stenosis (4), and compression fracture (1). The therapeutic results were evaluated one month after the operation and graded as excellent, good, fair or poor. Treatments were considered successful if the therapeutic results were graded as either excellent or good. RESULTS: The overall success rate in all patients was 72.7%. The success rate for treatment of cases with cervical sprain was 87.9%, but treatment of cases with herniated nucleus pulposus, foraminal stenosis, and fracture showed unsatisfactory results (mean success rate was 27.3%). Some patients complained of transient hypesthesia (4 cases) or transient dull pain at the electrode insertion sites (2 cases). CONCLUSION: RFFR is an effective and safe treatment for CDRS caused by cervical sprain, regardless of the patient's age, the duration of the symptoms, and the presence of radiating pain.
