Psychological predictors of substantial pain reduction after minimally invasive radiofrequency and injection treatments for chronic low back pain.

Objective: In this post hoc observational study, we investigated psychological predictors of outcome after radiofrequency and injection treatments, commonly performed in the management of chronic low back pain (CLBP).

Design & Setting: Data, comprising 161 patients (29 eventually lost to follow-up), were obtained from two randomized controlled trials on efficacy of radiofrequency treatment for back pain and sciatica. Subsequently patients were additionally treated in an open prospective follow-up period.

Radiofrequency denervation of lumbar facet joints in the treatment of chronic low back pain: a randomized, double-blind, sham lesion-controlled trial.

Objectives: Radiofrequency facet joint denervation procedures have been common practice for 2 decades in treatment of chronic low back pain. We designed this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, sham treatment controlled trial to determine the efficacy of radiofrequency facet joint denervation, as it is routinely performed.

Methods: Inclusion criteria were low back pain, duration more than 6 months, and >or=50% Visual Analog Scale (VAS) reduction on diagnostic block.

Do minimally invasive procedures have a place in the treatment of chronic low back pain?

Chronic low back pain is the leading cause of disability in the industrialized world. Medical and surgical treatments remain costly despite limited efficacy. The field of 'interventional pain' has grown enormously and evidence-based practice guidelines are systematically developed.

Radiofrequency lumbar facet denervation: a comparative study of the reproducibility of lesion size after 2 current radiofrequency techniques.

Background And Objectives: Radiofrequency facet denervation procedures are widely used for the treatment of chronic low-back pain. Currently, both temperature-controlled and voltage-controlled techniques are used. In this combined in vivo and in vitro study, the electrophysiologic consequences and the effects on lesion size of these techniques were determined.

Radiofrequency lesioning of dorsal root ganglia for chronic lumbosacral radicular pain: a randomised, double-blind, controlled trial.

Background: Results of observational studies have shown pain reduction with percutaneous radiofrequency lesioning of dorsal root ganglia for lumbosacral radicular pain, but there are few randomised controlled trials. We aimed to assess the efficacy of radiofrequency lesioning of dorsal root ganglia for lumbosacral radicular pain.

Methods: We screened 1001 patients, who were mostly referred by their family doctor, in four hospitals for a double-blind randomised trial.

The efficacy of radiofrequency lesioning of the cervical spinal dorsal root ganglion in a double blinded randomized study: no difference between 40 degrees C and 67 degrees C treatments.

The efficacy of radiofrequency lesion treatment of the cervical dorsal root ganglion (RF-DRG) in cervicobrachialgia was investigated in 61 patients by a randomized prospective double blinded study. Before lesion treatment the putative pain provoking spinal root was identified by diagnostic blocks with a local anesthetic agent. One group of patients (n = 32, group I) was treated with a radiofrequency lesion of 67 degrees C and in a control group (n = 29, group II) a temperature of 40 degrees C was applied.