Introduction Chronic hip pain from osteoarthritis and other intraarticular pathologies is a common condition, and the prevalence increases with age and obesity. Patients with chronic hip joint pain may not…
Introduction Cervical facet joints, also known as zygapophyseal joints, are a common cause of neck, head, and/or shoulder pain due to degenerative changes, accounting for up to 25–55% of chronic…
Introduction Thoracic pain manifesting as mid-back or upper-back pain is the least common of all disability-related chronic spinal problems with a prevalence of 13% compared to 32% for neck pain…
Patient selection Selection criteria for patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation (RFA) have long been influenced by protocols set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and health insurance companies….
Introduction Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a unique modality used to treat many different conditions in a variety of clinical scenarios. The principles of RFA were first described in 1891 by…
History The first known use of thermocoagulation for the treatment of chronic pain was in 1931, with successful ablation of the gasserian ganglion for trigeminal neuralgia by Martin Kirschner. A…
Introduction Bone is the third most common site of tumor metastasis after lung and liver. Of all bones, the spine is the most frequent site of metastasis ( Table 8.1…
A detailed understanding of spinal anatomy is requisite to performing spinal procedures. The spine consists of bones, ligaments, discs, blood vessels, and nerves. Bony structures and ligaments of the spine…
Introduction One of the most common health conditions worldwide is chronic low back pain (CLBP). In fact, the point prevalence of low back pain is noted to be around 12%…
Introduction Osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) is one of the most common manifestations of osteoporosis. OVCFs occur in approximately 20% of individuals over 70 years of age. The fractures can…
