Needle-Placement Technique in Lumbar RFA Published by Dove Medical Press

The Journal of Pain Research has published the original research “Efficacy of needle-placement technique in radiofrequency ablation for treatment of lumbar facet arthropathy”.

This study compared the efficacy and safety of the Early Australian and Advanced Australian facet radiofrequency ablation techniques. The results of this study not only support the use of facet radiofrequency ablation in treatment of lumbar facet arthropathy, but also strongly support the use of the anatomically correct Advanced Australian technique.
 
As corresponding author Dr Andrea Nicol says “Our study, which was retrospective in nature, highlights the importance of anatomically correct needle placement technique for lumbar radiofrequency ablation. Data from the study showed an association between the more anatomically correct needle placement, the advanced Australian technique, and an improved duration of pain relief and greater patient reported pain improvement. We hope that further studies can be performed to confirm the findings from this study in a prospective manner.”
 
As Dr Michael Schatman, Editor-in-Chief, explains “This paper is noteworthy in that it enhances our understanding of the intricacies of facet joint radiofrequency denervation, which should result in an improved technique for treating refractory lumbar pain.”
 
The Journal of Pain Research is an international, peer-reviewed, open access, online journal that welcomes laboratory and clinical findings in the fields of pain research and the prevention and management of pain.
 
Dove Medical Press Ltd is a privately held company specializing in the publication of Open Access peer-reviewed journals across the broad spectrum of science, technology and especially medicine.

Updated 16 October 2015