Long-lasting analgesic effect of radiofrequency treatment of the lumbosacral dorsal root ganglion

Object. The authors conducted a study to establish the benefit of radiofrequency (RF) treatment of the lumbosacral dorsal root ganglion (DRG) as a therapy to reduce symptomatic pain in patients with chronic spinal pain radiating to the leg. Methods. Two hundred seventy-nine patients were evaluated after undergoing their first RF treatment of the DRG. A four-point pain perception scale was used. Short-term effect was documented after 2 months. The influence of surgical history on outcome was examined by using chi-square analysis. The mean duration of analgesic effect was calculated by applying a probit survival analysis. Two months after undergoing RF treatment, 59% of patients reported satisfactory pain reduction. No serious adverse effects were noted. Surgical history was shown to have no significant effect on outcome. The long-term half life time of pain reduction was 44.5 months. Conclusions. The use of RF in the treatment of DRG appears to be a useful and safe therapy in patients with chronic spinal pain that radiates to the leg. The initial success rate is approximately 60%. It seems to lead to a time-limited effect on the target structure, and the mean duration of pain reduction is approximately 3.7 years. The mechanism of action remains unclear.