Resumen

Introduction: Back pain is the most frequent symptom in spine care unit, affecting 60% to 80% in adults during some moment of their lifes, with prevalence varying of 20 to 30%. Among all the morphopathological factors contributing to chronic spinal pain, facet joints play a major role in generating spinal pain due to hypermobility and joint degeneration. Some minimally invasive techniques have been developed to treat pain originated at facet joint in the last years. In this study we evaluate the results of facet nerve block. Materials and Methods: A prospective and descriptive study was carried on. Fourty consecutives facet nerve block in patients with recurent back pain were done. The average follow up was 6 months. In all cases clinical treatment and rehabilitation had been failed. Clinical outcomes and satisfection level had been assessed using visual anlogic scale. All patients had treated by facet block on medial branch of facet nerve. The needle position was confirmed under the fluoroscope. Results: The etiology of pain was facet syndrome in 18 patients, ten patients in postoperative pain and 12 varied causes. Twenty cases had been infiltrated in L5S1, seventeen in L4L5 and three in L3L4. were carried through a session of infiltration in 26 cases, two in 10 cases and three in four cases. We observed a satisfaction (excelent or good results) of 90 % in the evaluation 1 hour after procedure, and 77% after 7 days, 69% after 1 month, and 58% after 3 months. Conclusions: Facet nerve block is simple, safe and low cost procedure. Reducing the pain in the first three monyhs of the treatment will give to the patient a window to the introduction of other treatment option. We believe this method represents a important alternative treatment for recurent back pain post clinical management failed.

Palabras clave: Back pain minimally invasive procedure facet joint denervation.

2005-07-15   |   1,766 visitas   |   Evalua este artículo 0 valoraciones

Vol. 28 Núm.1. Junio 2005 Pags. Rev Chile Neuroc 2005; 28(1)