The efficacy of pulsed radiofrequency intervention of the lumbar dorsal root ganglion in patients with chronic lumbar radicular pain.

In recent years, pulsed radiofrequency (PR) has been used as a minimally invasive pain intervention. However, various studies on the efficacy of PR as modalities for the treatment of radicular pain in lumbar disc herniation have had varied results. This study aims to determine the efficacy of PR in reducing radicular pain among lumbar disc herniation patients compared with conservative treatment. This study was conducted using the before-andafter quasi experimental design. There were 50 subjects that fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria and they were divided into an intervention group (n=25) and control group (n=25). The intervention group was given once PR in the dorsal root ganglion. All subjects were assessed for Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) before treatment, at 1- , 2- and 4-week after treatment. At1-, 2- and 4-week, the VAS reduction in the intervention group was statistically significant compared to the control group. Four weeks after the intervention, the VAS score decreased in the intervention group (mean VAS -78.5, SD 16.8) more significantly compared to the control group (p<0.001). The ODI score decreased in the intervention group (mean ODI -61.8, SD 20.1) more significantly than in the control group (p<0.001). Finding showed that at1- , 2- and 4-weekPR was more efficacious in reducing radicular pain among lumbar disc herniation patients compared to the conservative therapy.