Abstract

ABEJON, D. et al. Radiofrecuency in the treatment of chronic cervical spine patology: Retrospective study. Rev. Soc. Esp. Dolor [online]. 2006, vol.13, n.1, pp.02-09. ISSN 1134-8046.

Objectives: To value the effectiveness and sides effects of conventional radiofrequency (RF) and pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) in the treatment of the chronic spinal cervical pathology. Material and Methods: It is carried out a retrospective study. The sample composes it 35 patients in those that have been carried out 63 treatments with radiofrequency. The diagnostics were cervical radiculopathy (CR), cervicogenic migraine (CM) and spinal cervical facet syndrome (SFC) confirmed by means of radiography tests, electromyography and appropriate clinic from January 2000 to October 2004. In all the patients before making the RF is carried out a diagnostic blockade that must reduce to the patients' symptomatology in at least 50% so it is considered positive. It is evaluated, by means of a numeric scale (IN), the intensity of the pain in five moments, the percentage of the patients' improvement is valued according to a scale characteristic of 4 categories, the reduction of the medication is analyzed after applying the technique, the derived complications of the same one, if there was, and the necessity to repeat the procedure and when, if any. The pursuit of the study is carried out during a period of 6 months, and the valuation of the parameters is carried out, to the beginning of the same one (basal), a month, 2 months, at the 3 and the 6 months. They are carried out two analyses, the first of the complete sample and a second analysis in which the different pathologies are studied for separate. The comparison of that of the evolution of the IN along the time in each group (intragroup) was carried out with the bilateral analysis of the non parametric variance of Friedman. The test of square Chi is applied to estimate the differences in the percentage of improvement among the different diagnostic groups. It is considered statistical significance when the value of p is <0.05. Results: They are included in the study thirty five patients with cervical pathology in those that were carried out 63 procedures. RFP was applied in 24 patients and RF in the remaining ones. The decrease of the same one along the time of pursuit was statistically significant (p <0.0001) in all the moments of the study with regard to the basal one. 62.5% (20 patients) (IC 95%: 54-71) they had an improvement of the symptomatology >50%. Thirteen patients reduced the medication according to the analgesic ladder of the OMS. The half number of procedures was of 1.9 (1-9), being 5, 6 months (3-12) the half time in which repeats the technique. Derived complications of the technique or the procedure were not observed. Conclusions: The radiofrequency technique seems to be a sure and promising technique in the cervical, given pathology its results and its lack of secondary effects.

Keywords : Radiofrequency; pulsed radiofrequency; cervical radiculopathy; cervicogenic migraine.

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