Saves the questions and what to expect into your notes, next to the visit they belong to.
Keep this study
Lead
Northwestern University
With
American Pain Society
The CRFA blocks has been shown to effectively treat sacroiliac joint pain (a joint in the pelvis), which is another reason that it is suspected that CRFA will be effective when treating pain related to facet joints in the low back. We are performing this study in order to determine if that is the case.
Age
18–79
Sex
ALL
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted
You may be eligible if
Patients with lumbar facet syndrome pain who would undergo treatment by lumbar medial branch radiofrequency ablation.
Low back pain for at least 6 months.
Pain resistant to conventional therapy including NSAIDs, opioids, muscle relaxants, oral steroids, physical therapy or chiropractic care.
Pain diagram suggesting possibility of facet-mediated pain.
Referred pain when present not beyond the knee.
Positive response to at least 1 set of diagnostic intra-articular facet injections or medial branch blocks, defined as \> 75% reduction in pain following diagnostic blocks with local anesthetic (0.5mL of 0.5% bupivacaine OR 0.5 mL of 2% lidocaine).
You may not be if
Focal neurologic signs or symptoms.
Radiologic evidence of a symptomatic herniated disc or nerve root impingement related to spinal stenosis.
Previous radiofrequency ablation treatment for similar symptoms.
Patient refusal.
Lack of consent.
Active systemic or local infections at the site of proposed needle and electrode placement.
Coagulopathy or other bleeding disorder, current use of anticoagulants or anti-platelet medications.
Allergy to medications being used for injection procedures (contrast dye, local anesthetic, IV sedative).
Inability to read English, communicate with staff, or participate in follow up.
Pregnancy.
Cognitive deficit.
Negative response to diagnostic intra-articular facet injections or medial branch blocks, defined as \< 75% reduction in pain following diagnostic blocks with local anesthetic (0.5mL of 0.5% bupivacaine OR 0.5 mL of 2% lidocaine).
Daily opiate analgesic use more exceeding 3 months prior to study inclusion.
Unstable medical or psychiatric illness.
Clareo Health | A Trial of Cooled Radiofrequency Ablation of Medial Branch Nerves for theTreatment of Lumbar Facet Syndrome
