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Ambrosio L, Vadalà G, Russo F, Pascarella G, De Salvatore S, Papalia GF, Ruggiero A, Di Folco M, Carassiti M, Papalia R, Denaro V. Response to Letter to the Editor Regarding Interventional Minimally Invasive Treatments for Chronic Low Back Pain Caused by Lumbar Facet Joint Syndrome: A Systematic Review by Ambrosio et al. Global Spine J 2024; 14:1435-1436. [PMID: 36948651 PMCID: PMC11289552 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231165959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Luca Ambrosio
- Operative Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
- Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianluca Vadalà
- Operative Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
- Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Russo
- Operative Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
- Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pascarella
- Unit of Anesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Management, Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Sergio De Salvatore
- Operative Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
- Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe F. Papalia
- Operative Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
- Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Ruggiero
- Unit of Anesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Management, Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Di Folco
- Unit of Anesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Management, Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Carassiti
- Unit of Anesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Management, Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Rocco Papalia
- Operative Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
- Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Denaro
- Operative Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
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Láinez Ramos-Bossini AJ, Jiménez Gutiérrez PM, Ruiz Santiago F. Efficacy of radiofrequency in lumbar facet joint pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials. LA RADIOLOGIA MEDICA 2024; 129:794-806. [PMID: 38512629 DOI: 10.1007/s11547-024-01809-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lumbar facet joint pain (LFJP) is one of the main causes of chronic low back pain (LBP) and can be treated using radiofrequency (RF) sensory denervation. The aim of this work is to analyze the efficacy of RF in LFJP through a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with placebo control. MATERIALS AND METHODS A systematic search was conducted in the Medline (PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science databases, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). The variables of interest were pain, functional status, quality of life (QoL), and global perceived effect (GPE) measured at different time intervals: short (< 3 months), medium (> 3 and < 12 months), and long term (> 12 months). RESULTS Eight RCTs with placebo control were included. RF showed significant benefits over placebo in pain relief in the short (MD - 1.01; 95% CI - 1.98 to -0.04; p = 0.04), medium (MD - 1.42; 95% CI - 2.41 to - 0.43; p = 0.005), and long term (MD - 1.12; 95% CI - 1.57 to - 0.68; p < 0.001), as well as improvement in functional disability in the short (SMD - 0.94; 95% CI - 1.73 to - 0.14; p = 0.02) and long term (SMD - 0.74; 95% CI - 1.09 to - 0.39; p < 0.001). No statistically significant differences were observed in QoL or quantitative GPE, but benefits for RF were observed in dichotomous GPE in the medium (OR 0.19; 95% CI 0.07-0.52; p = 0.001) and long term (OR 0.22; 95% CI 0.06-0.78; p = 0.02). Subgroup analyses showed more benefits for RF in LBP < 1 year in the short term and in RCTs that did not require performing an MRI for patient selection. CONCLUSIONS RF demonstrated significant improvement in pain and functionality, but the benefits in terms of QoL and GPE are inconclusive. Future clinical trials should investigate the long-term effects of RF, its impact on quality of life, and define appropriate criteria for patient selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Jesús Láinez Ramos-Bossini
- Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitario Virgen de Las Nieves, Avda. Fuerzas Armadas, 18014, Granada, Spain.
- Advanced Medical Imaging Group (TeCe22), Instituto Biosanitario de Granada (IBS.Granada), 18016, Granada, Spain.
| | - Paula María Jiménez Gutiérrez
- Advanced Medical Imaging Group (TeCe22), Instituto Biosanitario de Granada (IBS.Granada), 18016, Granada, Spain
- Department of Anesthesiology, Hospital Universitario Virgen de Las Nieves, 18014, Granada, Spain
| | - Fernando Ruiz Santiago
- Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitario Virgen de Las Nieves, Avda. Fuerzas Armadas, 18014, Granada, Spain
- Advanced Medical Imaging Group (TeCe22), Instituto Biosanitario de Granada (IBS.Granada), 18016, Granada, Spain
- Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
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Manchikanti L. Letter to Editor: The Systematic Review of Interventional Minimally Invasive Treatments for Chronic Low Back Pain Caused by Lumbar Facet Joint Syndrome Provided Inaccurate Information. Global Spine J 2024; 14:1434. [PMID: 36946029 PMCID: PMC11289553 DOI: 10.1177/21925682231165961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Laxmaiah Manchikanti
- Pain Management Centers of America, Ambulatory Surgery Center and Pain Care Surgery Center, Paducah, Kentucky
- Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA
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Vu PD, Bansal V, Malik A, Ryder A, Chen JW. Lancinating lumbar facet syndrome: a congenitally absent facet joint. Pain Manag 2023; 13:579-583. [PMID: 37772609 DOI: 10.2217/pmt-2023-0065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenitally absent or hypoplastic L5-S1 facet (zygapophyseal) joints are an aberrated rarity, with less than 30 reported cases. This absence of facet joint and contralateral hypertrophic facet provides a continuum of presentations that can complicate low back pain diagnoses and management. A broad differential including lumbar facet syndrome, disc degeneration, spinal stenosis, herniated radiculopathy, spondyloarthropathies and sacroiliac joint pain should be considered initially, with the flexibility for other diagnoses. Understanding the effects of different anatomical, biomechanical and physiological changes on spinal health is essential for patient care. We report a progression of lumbar radiculopathy complicated by the presence of a congenitally absent left L5-S1 facet joint and hypertrophic right L5-S1 facet joint. Furthermore, our discussion concentrates on pathophysiology, differential diagnoses and management of congenitally absent facet joints and the impact they can have on low back pain and spinal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter D Vu
- McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- TIRR Memorial Hermann, 1333 Moursund St, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Vishal Bansal
- McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- TIRR Memorial Hermann, 1333 Moursund St, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Aila Malik
- McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- TIRR Memorial Hermann, 1333 Moursund St, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Alexa Ryder
- McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- TIRR Memorial Hermann, 1333 Moursund St, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jason W Chen
- McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- TIRR Memorial Hermann, 1333 Moursund St, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Lee SH, Choi HH, Chang MC. The Effectiveness of Facet Joint Injection with Steroid and Botulinum Toxin in Severe Lumbar Central Spinal Stenosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 15:toxins15010011. [PMID: 36668831 PMCID: PMC9866817 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15010011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Lumbar central spinal stenosis (LCSS) is a common disorder that causes disability and pain in the elderly. It causes pain in the radicular leg. Recently, transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) has been widely used to control radicular leg pain caused by LCSS. However, in cases of severe LCSS, drugs injected using TFESI cannot spread into the spinal canal and would have less therapeutic effects than in mild LCSS. To compensate for this limitation of TFESI, we injected steroids and botulinum toxin type A into the bilateral facet joints, evaluated their effects, and compared them with those of TFESI. One hundred patients with severe LCSS were included in the study and randomly allocated to either the facet injection (FI) or TFESI group. For 50 patients in the FI group, 30 mg (40 mg/mL) of triamcinolone with 50 IU of botulinum toxin type A mixed with a 1 mL solution of 100 mL of 50% dextrose water and 30 mL of 4% lidocaine were administered into the bilateral facet joints under fluoroscopy. For 50 patients in the TFESI group, 30 mg (40 mg/mL) of triamcinolone with 0.8 mL of 2% lidocaine and 2.5 mL of 50% dextrose water was injected bilaterally under fluoroscopy. Radicular leg pain (measured with a numeric rating scale) and pain-related disability (measured with the modified Oswestry Disability Index) due to severe LCSS were significantly reduced after facet joint injection. The therapeutic effects were greater after facet joint injection than after bilateral TFESI. The injection of a mixed solution of steroids and botulinum toxin type A into the bilateral facet joints would be a beneficial therapeutic option in patients with severe LCSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Hoon Lee
- Department of Radiology, Madi Pain Management Center, Jeonju 54969, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Hee Choi
- Madi Research and Development Center, Jeonju 54969, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Cheol Chang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu 42415, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence:
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