Pain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain
-
Clinical Trial
Long-term inhibition of soleus H-reflex with epidural adhesiolysis and pulsed radiofrequency in lumbosacral neuropathic pain.
Scientific data about neurophysiological changes subsequent to pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) are still lacking. The goal of this study was to evaluate sural nerve conduction and Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex) in soleus muscle following adhesiolysis and PRF in patients with unilateral chronic lumbosacral L5-S1 neuropathic radiating pain. ⋯ Epidural adhesiolysis and PRF of the dorsal root ganglion seem to significantly affect spinal reflexes in patients with lumbosacral neuropathic radiating pain.
-
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is the most common cause of facial pain, leading to significant disability and impacting a patient's quality of life. Percutaneous procedures like continuous radiofrequency, pulsed radiofrequency (PRF), and combined continuous and pulsed radiofrequency have been studied in past years comparing different voltages in order to find more effective therapies with fewer complications (eg, numbness and masseter muscle weakness). With regard to young patients, there is still insufficient evidence on the most appropriate procedure in this patient population. PRF does not cause thermal damage. The mechanism of action involves delivering an electrical field to targeted nerves or tissues, modulating pain. We propose that bipolar pulsed radiofrequency (2 parallel cannulas) in the trigeminal ganglion produce a denser and larger field resulting in more effective controlled pain. ⋯ Bipolar PRF could be a non-neurodestructive option for young people with TN and deserves further investigation as a treatment option.