| Xue et al., 20201010 Xue Y, Ding T, Wang D, et al. Endoscopic rhizotomy for chronic lumbar zygapophysial joint pain. J Orthop Surg Res 2020;15(01):4
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60 patients. |
Mean age of the ERFA groups: 65.73 ± 7.62. Mean age of the control group: 64.78 ± 6.62. |
Two groups with 30 patients each. One group (control) underwent RF ablation. The second group, ERFA, underwent endoscopic RF rhizotomy. The total follow-up period was 1 year. |
Outcomes from the ERFA group were positive, showing advantages such as better needle positioning during the procedure, more precise denervation, and better long-term efficacy. There were complications as the study had a small sample and a short time for more complete evaluations. |
| Moussa et al., 20161111 Moussa WM, Khedr W. Percutaneous radiofrequency facet capsule denervation as an alternative target in lumbar facet syndrome. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2016;150:96–104
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120 patients. |
18 to 73 years old. |
Patients were divided into three groups, each with 40 subjects.
Group 1: Percutaneous RF coagulation on the facet joint capsule.
Group 2: medial dorsal branch denervation.
Group 3: control (no RF performed).
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This study showed that RF denervation directed to the lumbar facet joint is technically easier and provides longer CLBP control compared with the traditional approach to the medial branch of the facet joint. However, both were effective in improving CLBP. |
| Ertilav et al., 20221212 Ertilav E, Aydin ON, Erel KV. Facet Median Branch Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation Treatment at Different Temperatures and Durations in Patients with Lumbar Facet Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Double-Blind Study. Turk Neurosurg 2022;32 (01):149–154
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96 patients. |
62.3. |
Patients were divided into three groups. RF therapy on the medial branches occurred at different temperatures. One group of 31 patients received 90 °C for 50 seconds, a second group of 32 patients received 85 °C for 60 seconds, and the third group of 33 patients received 70 °C for 90 seconds. |
The study demonstrated that RF treatment on the medial branch of the facet is effective in relieving chronic pain in patients with facet syndrome. |
| Wijk et al., 20051313 van Wijk RM, Geurts JW, Wynne HJ, et al. Radiofrequency denervation of lumbar facet joints in the treatment of chronic low back pain: a randomized, double-blind, sham lesion-controlled trial. Clin J Pain 2005;21(04):335–344
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81 patients. |
Age over 17 years old. |
Patients were divided into two groups, a control group and a group undergoing RF. |
Overall, the VAS and combined outcome measure scores revealed major differences between the RF and sham groups, even though both achieved significant VAS improvement. The GPE score favored the RF technique in CLBP. |
| Zhou et al., 20161414 Zhou Q, Zhou F, Wang L, Liu K. An investigation on the effect of improved X-rays-guided radiofrequency thermocoagulation denervation on lumbar facet joint syndrome. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2016;148:115–120
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80 patients. |
Mean age of the control group: 54.6 ±7.5. Mean age of the denervation group: 56.5 ±8.7. |
Patients were divided into two groups: group 1 had n = 40 and underwent percutaneous thermocoagulation, and group 2 (control) had n = 40 and received an injection of betamethasone and lidocaine at the lumbar facet joint. |
The study demonstrated that radiography-guided RF denervation by thermocoagulation is minimally invasive and effective, showing it can treat low back pain resulting from lumbar facet syndrome. |
| Nath et al., 20081515 Nath S, Nath CA, Pettersson K. Percutaneous lumbar zygapophysial (Facet) joint neurotomy using radiofrequency current, in the management of chronic low back pain: a randomized doubleblind trial. Spine 2008;33(12):1291–1297, discussion 1298
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40 patients. |
Mean age of the active group: 56 years old. Mean age of the placebo group: 53 years old. |
Patients were equally divided in an active group and a placebo group. |
Patients from the active group had an improvement in lumbar and referred leg pain. Differences in pain reduction between the two groups (active and placebo) were statistically significant (P = 0.004). |
| Tilburg et al., 20161616 van Tilburg CW, Stronks DL, Groeneweg JG, Huygen FJ. Randomised sham-controlled double-blind multicentre clinical trial to ascertain the effect of percutaneous radiofrequency treatment for lumbar facet joint pain. Bone Joint J 2016;98-B(11):1526–1533
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60 patients. |
Age over 18 years old. |
Patients received a lidocaine injection near the medial branches; next, they were divided into two groups: a treatment group undergoing RF and a sham group |
The study showed no significant difference between groups over a 3-month period. |
| Paulsen et al., 20191717 Paulsen RT, Carreon L, Busch F, Isenberg-Jørgensen A. A pilot cohort study of lumbar facet joint denervation in patients with chronic low-back pain. Dan Med J 2019;66(03):A5533
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19 patients. |
Age over 18 years old. |
Patients were divided into two groups:
Group 1: Patients achieving at least 80% improvement in pain relief after both diagnostic blocks.
Group 2: Patients achieving pain improvement ranging from 50% to 79% after diagnostic blocks.
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Patients achieving an 80% improvement in pain after the diagnostic block had significant and consistent improvement during follow-up. Those achieving relief ranging from 50 to 79% did not show significant improvement, except after 1 week.
The total sample showed ODI score improvement during the first 3 months. In addition, there was also improvement after 6 months in group 1 regarding EQ-5D. However, the sample had no further significant improvements in EQ-5D and ODI scores. Group 1 presented an average improvement of 22.5 points in VAS, which is clinically relevant.
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| Tome-Bermeio et al., 20111818 Tomé-Bermejo F, Barriga-Martín A, Martín JL. Identifying patients with chronic low back pain likely to benefit from lumbar facet radiofrequency denervation: a prospective study. J Spinal Disord Tech 2011;24(02):69–75
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86 patients. |
Mean age: 49.97. |
All subjects underwent the same ablation technique. |
RF therapy significantly improved (p < 0.05) the VAS and ODI scores, showing improvement in disability and quality of life. A total of 89% of the patients had a significant improvement in pain after the ablation technique for a total period of 6 months. After 6 months, the improvement declined and, in 1 year of follow-up, 50% of patients reported improvement. After one year, 75.67% of the patients would undergo the RFA technique again. |
| Gofeld et al., 20071919 Gofeld M, Jitendra J, Faclier G. Radiofrequency denervation of the lumbar zygapophysial joints: 10-year prospective clinical audit. Pain Physician 2007;10(02):291–300
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174 patients. |
- |
All patients underwent a RF technique. |
The study demonstrated that a total of 55 patients did not improve with the procedure at any time or did it only for 6 months. One hundred and nineteen patients reported significant pain relief in the second follow-up, 6 months after RF. The average duration of pain relief for all 174 patients was 9 months. |
| Civelek et al., 20122020 Civelek E, Cansever T, Kabatas S, et al. Comparison of effectiveness of facet joint injection and radiofrequency denervation in chronic low back pain. Turk Neurosurg 2012;22(02):200–206
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100 patients. |
Mean age of the FJI group: 56.5 ± 17.7. Mean age of the FJRF group: 51.8 ± 17.0. |
Patients were divided into two groups:
FJI group: 50 patients undergoing corticosteroid injection.
FJRF group: 50 patients undergoing RF therapy.
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The study concluded that the success rate of the FJRF group in general and at the VNS, EQ-5D, and NASS scores was significantly better. In the short term, FJI appears more effective than FJRF, but in the medium-term follow-up, FJRF had more satisfactory outcomes than FJI. |
| Lakemeier et al., 20132121 Lakemeier S, Lind M, Schultz W, et al. A comparison of intraarticular lumbar facet joint steroid injections and lumbar facet joint radiofrequency denervation in the treatment of low back pain: a randomized, controlled, double-blind trial. Anesth Analg 2013; 117(01):228–235
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56 patients; however, only 50 complete the follow-up period of 6 months. |
- |
Patients were divided into two groups: One group received injections and the second group underwent RF therapy. |
The evidence from this study demonstrated that both the injection and the RF technique can be used for chronic pain in the lumbar facets and that both improved pain over at least 6 months, with no difference between treatments in this period. |
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Source: Authors, 2022.