Clin Pain.  2018 Dec;17(2):67-73. 10.0000/cp.2018.17.2.67.

Radiating Pain and Postural Balance with Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment in Patients with Lumbosacral Radiculopathy

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul, Korea. 92228sky@hanmail.net
  • 2Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Gangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
  • 3Department of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) treatment on pain and balance in patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy. METHOD: This study included twenty-five patients who were diagnosed with chronic lumbosacral radiculopathy. They underwent PRF treatment in prone position under the fluoroscopic guidance. The effect of PRF was measured by the visual analog score (VAS). Patient ability to balance was evaluated by using the Tetra-ataxiometric posturography (Tetrax).
RESULTS
After PRF all patients showed improvement in pain as measured by VAS (p < 0.001) and none of the patients reported any side effects. The posturographic balance, which was evaluated by Tetrax showed no significant decline after PRF treatment. The weight distribution index (WDI) with eyes open before treatment was 5.43 ± 2.88 and after treatment was 5.37 ± 2.65 (p=0.917). The mean stability index (SI) with eyes open before treatment was 16.52 ± 6.05 and after treatment was 16.61 ± 4.85 (p=0.906). The mean WDI with eyes closed before treatment was 5.66 ± 2.81 and after treatment was 5.16 ± 2.70 (p=0.470). Finally, the mean SI with eyes closed before was 25.88 ± 9.88 and after treatment was 25.99 ± 12.30 (p=0.962).
CONCLUSION
The results suggest that PRF has an effect on pain in patients with chronic lumbosacral radiculopathy. The patients did not experience adverse effects, such as hypoesthesia, dysesthesia and decreased proprioception after PRF, and there were no significant declines in balance.

Keyword

Lumbosacral radiculopathy; Radiating pain; Balance; Pulsed radiofrequency; Tetrax

MeSH Terms

Humans
Hypesthesia
Methods
Paresthesia
Postural Balance*
Prone Position
Proprioception
Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment*
Radiculopathy*
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