Chronic Low Back Pain Management: Comparison of Facet Denervation with Radiofrequency Thermoablation and Facet Joint Injection

INTRODUCTION: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) remains a prevalent and challenging condition to manage. This study aims to reassess and compare the effectiveness of two minimally invasive treatments, which are facet joint denervation via radiofrequency thermoablation (RFT) and facet joint injection (FI).
METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 84 patients suffering from CLBP. The cohort was divided into two groups: 42 patients underwent RFT, and 42 underwent FI. Pain was assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain), with evaluations conducted at the first and sixth months post-treatment.
RESULTS: Initial findings indicated a significant reduction in pain scores in the RFT group, with a 60.9% reduction after the first month and 74.3% after six months. In contrast, the FI group showed a 51.8% reduction in pain scores after the first month, which decreased to 35.4% after six months. These results suggest more pronounced and sustained pain relief in patients undergoing RFT than those receiving FI.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The comparative analysis reaffirms the efficacy of RFT in managing CLBP, outperforming FI in both short-term and especially long-term pain reduction. This study underscores the importance of selecting appropriate treatment modalities based on individual patient profiles and specific anatomical targets for optimal outcomes in CLBP management.