Procedures
Radiofrequency Neurotomy
Lumbar Radiofrequency Neurotomy Is an Effective Procedure for Arthritis Pain That Originates in the Spine Joints of the Lower Back.
Cervical Radiofrequency Neurotomy Is an Effective Procedure for Neck Pain That Originates in the Spine Joints of the Lower Back.
To Learn More About This Procedure Please Call Bay State Pain Management.
A radio frequency neurotomy interrupts the sensory nerve supply to the involved facet joint through the use of thermal denervation. After a local skin anesthetic is applied, the physician uses fluoroscopy (x-ray) guidance to place special radio frequency needles alongside the nerves that supply the inflamed joint.
After testing to ensure that the needle is in the correct position, thermal energy is applied and the nerve is deadened. Effective for many months to years, the goal of the radio frequency procedure is to prolong the relief sustained by facet joint injections. Radio frequency neurotomy is only performed once the facet joints have been precisely identified as a source of pain.
Radiofrequency Ablation for chronic pain
If you’ve been suffering with chronic pain, relief may be in sight without the need for surgery. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a well-established, drug-free treatment that has been clinically proven to provide safe, effective, lasting relief from chronic pain. 1, 2, 3, 4 More than 70% of patients treated with RFA experience relief lasting anywhere from six to twelve months, and in some cases, years. 2, 3, 4
What is Radiofrequency Ablation?
RFA is a simple outpatient procedure that targets the joint causing your pain and uses thermal energy to interrupt the pain signals at their source. It can be used for neck, back, knee, and hip pain, and your doctor can treat more than one location during the same procedure.
RFA treatment tends to be well tolerated, and has few associated complications. In general, candidates who respond well to RFA can expect pain relief that lasts from 6-18 months. The procedure can be repeated when the nerves regenerate and the pain returns.
What happens during the procedure?
We perform this short procedure in a treatment room setting. Local anesthesia and a mild sedative may be used to reduce discomfort during the procedure.
We use x-ray imaging to guide special needles to the treatment locations near the joint. Electrodes are used to stimulate nerves near to the locations to help determine the optimal treatment locations for pain relief.
Once the optimal location is verified, the electrodes send a small RF current into the surrounding tissue, causing the tissue to heat and disable the nerve to stop it from sending pain signals.
We may treat more than one location during the same procedure to cover multiple areas of pain in the back, knee, hip, or wherever your pain may be.
Recovery time
After the procedure, you may experience a few days of discomfort around the procedure site(s). It’s generally advised not to engage in any strenuous activity for at least 24 hours after treatment, but your doctor will give you complete post-procedure instructions. Over the next few weeks, your pain should subside, allowing you to return to the activities you enjoyed before the onset of your chronic pain.
Am I a candidate for RFA?
Radiofrequency Ablation is right for you? We can perform a simple, in-office test to show if RFA may be a good option for you. You will receive a simple shot of numbing medication. If you experience relief right away, that would indicate that the joint is the source of pain, and the RFA can be used for a more long-term, effective form of pain management.
References
1. Lord SM, et al. Percutaneous radiofrequency for chronic cervical zygapophyseal joint pain. The New England Journal of Medicine 1996; 335(23): 1721-1726
2. MacVicar J, et al. Cervical Medial Branch Radiofrequency Neurotomy in New Zealand. Pain Medicine 2012. 647-654
3. Dreyfuss P. et al. Efficacy and Validity of Radiofrequency Neurotomy for Chronic Lumbar Zygapophysial Joint Pain. Spine 2000
4. Gofeld M. et al. Radiofrequency Denervation of the Lumbar Zygapophysial Joints—Targeting the Best Practice Authors. Pain Physician 2007. 10:291-299
5. Govind J. et al. Radiofrequency neurotomy for the treatment of third occipital headache. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry 2003. 88-93.
Procedures presented are not meant as replacement for the product Directions for Use.
