Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 90, Issue 2 , Pages 201-205 , February 2009

A Prospective Outcome Study on the Effects of Facet Joint Radiofrequency Denervation on Pain, Analgesic Intake, Disability, Satisfaction, Cost, and Employment

  • Robert S. Burnham, MSc, MD, FRCPC

      Affiliations

    • Central Alberta Pain and Rehabilitation Institute, Lacombe, Alberta, Canada
    • Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to Robert S. Burnham, MSc, MD, FRCPC, 1, 6220—Highway 2A, Lacombe, Alberta, Canada T4L 2G5
    • ,
  • Shelley Holitski, BScPT

      Affiliations

    • Lacombe Physiotherapy, Lacombe, Alberta, Canada
    • ,
  • Irina Dinu, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada

References 

  1. Schwarzer AC, Aprill CN, Derby R, Fortin J, Kine G, Bogduk N. Clinical features of patients with pain stemming from the lumbar zygapophysial joints: is the lumbar facet syndrome the clinical entity?. Spine. 1994;19:1132–1137
  2. Schwarzer AC, Wang SC, Bogduk N, McNaught PJ, Laurent R. The prevalence and clinical features of lumbar zygapophysial joint pain: a study in an Australian population with chronic low back pain. Ann Rheum Dis. 1995;54:100–106
  3. Dreyfuss P, Halbrook B, Pauza K, Joshi A, McLarty J, Bogduk N. Efficacy and validity of radiofrequency neurotomy for chronic lumbar zygapophysial joint pain. Spine. 2000;25:1270–1277
  4. Gofeld M, Jitendra J, Faclier G. Radiofrequency denervation of the lumbar zygapophysial joints: 10-year prospective clinical audit. Pain Physician. 2007;10:291–299
  5. Gallagher J, Petriccione PL, Vadi JR, et al. Radiofrequency facet joint denervation in the treatment of low back pain: a prospective controlled doubled blind study to assess its efficacy. Pain Clinic. 1994;7:193–198
  6. van Kleef M, Barendse GA, Kessels A, Voets HM, Weber WE, de Lange S. Randomized trial of radiofrequency lumbar facet denervation for chronic low back pain. Spine. 1994;24:1937–1942
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  8. Leclaire R, Fortin L, Lambert R, Bergeron YM, Rossignol M. Radiofrequency facet joint denervation in the treatment of low back pain: a placebo-controlled clinical trial to assess efficacy. Spine. 2001;26:1411–1417
  9. 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;21:335–344
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  15. Farrar J, Young J, LaMoreaux L, Werth J, Poole R. Clinical importance of changes in chronic pain intensity measured on an 11-point numerical pain rating scale. Pain. 2001;94:149–158
  16. Cohen S, Raja S. Pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of lumbar zygapophysial (facet) joint pain. Anesthesiology. 2007;106:591–614
  17. Stewart M, Maher C, Refshauge K, Bogduk N, Nicholas M. Responsiveness of pain and disability measures for chronic whiplash. Spine. 2007;32:580–585

 Supported by the Workers Compensation Board of Alberta.

 No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit on the authors or on any organization with which the authors are associated.

 Reprints are not available from the author.

PII: S0003-9993(08)01588-8

doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2008.07.021

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 90, Issue 2 , Pages 201-205 , February 2009

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