Publications by authors named "Marc Caragea"
Article Synopsis
- Lumbar radiofrequency neurotomy (LRFN) is a treatment for back pain that works by targeting nerves related to joint pain but may also affect muscle innervation; little research exists on its effect on degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DLS).
- This study aimed to compare the rate of spondylolisthesis progression in patients with DLS who had LRFN against the natural progression rate of 2% per year.
- Results showed that the average progression rate in LRFN patients was 1.63% per year, which was significantly lower than the expected rate, indicating that LRFN does not seem to worsen spondylolisthesis progression in affected individuals.
Background: Genicular radiofrequency neurotomy (GRFN) is an effective treatment for a subset of individuals with chronic knee pain. Previous studies demonstrate that Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries report worse outcomes following various interventional procedures compared with commercially insured patients.
Objective: Evaluate the association of payer type on GRFN treatment outcomes.
Background: Lumbar radiofrequency neurotomy (LRFN) effectively alleviates zygapophyseal joint-mediated pain by coagulating medial branch nerves to disrupt nociceptive signaling pathways. The concomitant denervation of multifidus fibers has led to concern that LRFN may increase segmental instability and accelerate degenerative changes in patients with certain pre-existing spinal pathologies. There is a paucity of literature evaluating whether LRFN increases the progression of spinal curvature in patients with adult scoliosis.
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- The study aimed to evaluate how effective intradiscal corticosteroid injections (IDCI) are for treating low back pain linked to disc issues.
- It involved adults with chronic pain, using either real injections or placebo treatments for comparison, assessing outcomes like pain reduction and disability.
- The review found that IDCI can reduce pain for 1-6 months in certain patients (with Modic 1 and 2 changes), but overall, the evidence quality is low.
Background: Genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation (GNRFA) is an effective treatment for chronic knee pain. However, there has been minimal investigation of real-world, long-term outcomes and factors that predict treatment success after GNRFA.
Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of GNRFA for chronic knee pain in a real-world population and identify predictive factors.
Introduction/aims: Although electromyography remains the "gold standard" for assessing and diagnosing peripheral nerve disorders, ultrasound has emerged as a useful adjunct, providing valuable anatomic information. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the normative sonographic values for adult peripheral nerve cross-sectional area (CSA).
Methods: Medline and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched for healthy adult peripheral nerve CSA, excluding the median and ulnar nerves.
Background: Many patients who receive lumbosacral transforaminal epidural steroid injections (TFESIs) are referred for the injection from a physician who does not perform the procedure.
Purpose: To compare success rates of fluoroscopically guided lumbosacral TFESIs in patients who had a clinical evaluation and recommendation for the injection by a fellowship-trained spine specialist who routinely performs ESIs (Group A), vs those who had a clinical evaluation by a fellowship-trained spine specialist who referred the patient for the procedure to be done by a different physician (Group B).
Study Design/setting: Retrospective, observational, in vivo study of consecutive patients.
Article Synopsis
- Cervical medial branch radiofrequency ablation (CMBRFA) can be effective for pain relief, but current guidelines recommend only patients achieving 100% improvement from dual medial branch blocks (MBBs) receive the treatment.
- A study comparing patients who reported 80-99% improvement to those who met the 100% criteria found no significant differences in pain relief or patient satisfaction after CMBRFA.
- The results suggest that using a less strict selection criterion may still lead to similar clinical outcomes, indicating a more practical approach for patient selection.
Background: Lumbosacral transforaminal epidural steroid injection (LTFESI) is a commonly performed intervention for treating radicular pain. While factors that predict pain improvement after LTFESI have been evaluated, minimal literature exists regarding predictors of functional improvement.
Purpose: To identify factors that are associated with functional improvement at short-term follow-up after LTFESI.
Background: Thoracic transforaminal epidural steroid injections (TFESIs) are procedures performed for the treatment of thoracic spine pain (TSP). The literature on these interventions is sparse.
Purpose: To report outcomes of thoracic TFESIs for TSP indications.
Article Synopsis
- Corticosteroid injections into tendon sheaths are common for treating tendon disorders, but there is limited high-level evidence beyond specific conditions like DeQuervain tenosynovitis and trigger finger.
- A systematic review analyzed existing studies on adult tendon sheath injections (excluding the aforementioned conditions), scrutinizing the impact on pain and function while assessing bias.
- The review found 7 articles, all indicating short-term pain relief and some improvement in function, highlighting the need for more controlled studies to verify efficacy.