Radiofrequency ablation involving the sacroiliac joint
Introduction Both globally and in the United States, low back pain (LBP) has been the number-one cause of years lived with disability from 1990 to 2016. As the global population…
ANESTHESIA
Lumbar medial branches
Introduction The high prevalence of low back pain has made it a common cause of outpatient and inpatient healthcare visits. Lumbar facet joint pain is a common challenge presented to…
Radiofrequency ablation of hip joint articular nerves
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…
Cervical medial branches
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…
Thoracic medial branches
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, indications, and contraindications
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….
Mechanism of action
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 of radiofrequency ablation (RFA)
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…
Vertebral anatomy
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…
Radiofrequency ablation for metastatic bone lesions with vertebral augmentation
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…
