Percutaneous radiofrequency rhizotomy of the lumbar facets: ten years' experience

Over a 10-year period, 142 percutaneous radiofrequency facet rhizotomies were performed at a suburban community hospital on patients with incapacitating low back pain after various modalities of conservative treatment had failed. Neuroradiologic studies were negative or failed to reveal a herniated disk in all patients. The initial series reported in 1986 included 56 patients who had undergone previous spinal surgery and 59 patients who had lumbosacral radiculitis. An additional 27 patients with lumbosacral radiculitis have been treated. The combined use of fine thermocouple electrodes, image intensifier, nerve stimulator, and radiofrequency lesion generator provided a simple and safe technique for the relief of pain. Improvement, assessed by reduced medication requirement and increased employment, occurred in 60% of the patients.