Procedure
Radiofrequency Ablation
Patients with facet joint pain who do not respond to conservative treatment or whose pain does not improve may be helped by radiofrequency ablation. This minimally invasive procedure applies heat to certain nerve pathways to "shut off" the transmission of pain signals to the brain. Multiple clinical studies show that radiofrequency ablation significantly reduces pain severity and frequency for 1 to 2 years in the majority of patients.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
Radiofrequency ablation completes the continuum of care for back pain sufferers who want a minimally invasive alternative to surgery.[3]
Benefits of radiofrequency ablation include:
- Pain relief for up to 2 years[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]
- Significant and longer lasting pain relief compared to steroid injections[13]
- Low complication and morbidity rates[9][12][13][14][15]
- Appreciable pain relief compared to surgery: Nearly half of back pain sufferers are not helped by surgery[16]
- Greater range of motion[9][12][15]
- Lower use of analgesics[9][12]
- Improved quality of life[9]
- Short recovery time
Radiofrequency lesioning of the lumbar facet using the medial branch approach is the preferred treatment for providing long-lasting relief of lumbar facet joint pain.[17]
Radiofrequency Ablation Procedure Animation
Radiofrequency Ablation Procedure Animation (:47)
Part Number: 1000-000-146 Rev None
In elderly patients, back pain is frequently caused by a painful inflammation of a spinal facet joint. This inflammation irritates the surrounding medial branch nerves that, in turn, transmit pain signals to the brain. Through a minimally invasive procedure known as radiofrequency neurolysis, a tiny puncture is made into the skin and a small radiofrequency electrode is introduced. The electrode emits heat generating radio waves that disable the medial branch nerve. With the affected nerve disabled, pain signals are no longer transmitted to the brain.
Radiofrequency Ablation Procedure Walkthrough
Radiofrequency Ablation Procedure Walkthrough (1:50)
Part Number: 1000-000-146 Rev None
Stanley Golovac, M.D. – “A typical candidate that would be presenting themselves to a pain clinic for a radiofrequency neurolysis ablation procedure is usually an individual who is in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. The elderly age group usually suffers from a degenerative arthritic component. That arthritis develops into lumbar pain and neck pain. That develops into inflammatory changes within the joint, which is translated to the nervous system structure around the joint, therefore causing them to have pain with every movement they make. This can be remedied by a procedure of thermally heating up the medial branch nerve, which can relieve back pain for approximately two years or more. The typical process and treatment time for a radiofrequency ablation differs from site of treatment. If we’re going to be treating the cervical area it usually ranges from 15 to 25 minutes from start to finish. If we’re going to be treating the lumbar area it usually ranges from 20 to 25 minutes total time of treatment. The person who has had a radiofrequency ablation can always have this procedure repeated. It is something that creates an impaired nerve conduction system along the joint line of where the pain is experienced. So you actually can repeat this procedure, generally in a one to two year period of time without harming any nervous system structure around the joint. Relief typically is experienced from a radiofrequency ablation within a two to three week period of time after the treatment is complete. The area treated is going to have an inflammatory reaction around the site of treatment. Once that area has calmed down its inflammatory response to the treatment itself, the area should improve almost significantly and quite rapidly after the completion of that time period.”
