Radiofrequency denervation with or without addition of pentoxifylline or methylprednisolone for chronic lumbar zygapophysial joint pain.
Journal Title: Pharmacological Reports - Year 2005, Vol 57, Issue 4
Abstract
Radiofrequency neurolysis of lumbar medial branch is currently the only proven way to treat patients with chronic lumbar zygapophysial joint pain, however, in some patients it can cause transient postoperative pain due to an inflammation caused by trauma of the electrode insertion and the thermal lesion around the target nerves. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of intraoperative injection of methylprednisolone or pentoxifylline in comparison with placebo (saline) to prevent this process. 45 consecutive patients seen by one physician at one pain management clinic were included. Patients were randomly assigned to 3 groups of 15 patients treated with radiofrequency neurotomy procedure with an addition of methylprednisolone, pentoxifylline or saline, respectively, and were observed for 6 months. Pain intensity, summed pain intensity difference, minimum 50% reduction of pain intensity, Patients Satisfaction Score, and local tenderness were determined. The 50% reduction of pain intensity was achieved in 80% of patients one week after the procedure, and at 6 months such results were reported by 60% of patients. There was a significant reduction of pain intensity in all three groups at all time points compared to baseline, however, there were no differences between the three groups. There was a significant difference in local tenderness as a measure of postoperative pain indicating effectivenes of both, methylprednisolone and pentoxifylline. No other complications were noted in any of the patients. Radiofrequency neurotomy is a safe and effective method to treat patients with zygapophysial joint pain. An addition of pentoxifylline and methylprednisolone can reduce postoperative pain commonly appearing within a short time after the procedure, however, neither pentoxifylline nor methylprednisolone influences long-term follow-up results.
Authors and Affiliations
Jan Dobrogowski, Anna Wrzosek, Jerzy Wordliczek
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP118264
- DOI -
- Views 115
- Downloads 0
2-Methyl-6-phenylethynyl-pyridine (MPEP), a non-competitive mGluR5 antagonist, differentially affects the anticonvulsant activity of four conventional antiepileptic drugs against amygdala-kindled seizures in rats.
2-Methyl-6-phenylethynyl-pyridine (MPEP), a selective noncompetitive mGluR5 antagonist, influences the action of conventional antiepileptic drugs in amygdala-kindled seizures in rats. MPEP alone (up to 40 mg/kg) did not...
Epigallocatechin gallate accelerates healing of indomethacin-induced stomach ulcers in mice.
Management of the gastric toxicity of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) remains a crucial problem because the commercially available drugs have side effects and are often expensive. Therefore, we examined th...
Effect of cocaine on responsiveness of alpha(1)-adrenergic receptors in rat cerebral cortex: modulation by GABA-mimetic drugs.
We investigated the effects of single doses of cocaine (10 mg/kg, ip) and the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mimetics tiagabine (10 mg/kg, ip) and vigabatrin (150 mg/kg, ip) injected separately or concomitantly with coca...
Lack of effect of sildenafil on cocaine-induced convulsions in mice.
The convulsant action of cocaine and the proconvulsant effects of sildenafil, a drug which is widely used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction, have been documented both in humans and mice. Since it was reported that...
Association between remote organ injury and tissue polyamine homeostasis in acute experimental pancreatitis - treatment with a polyamine analogue bismethylspermine.
Experimental pancreatitis is associated with activation of polyamine catabolism. The polyamine analog bismethylspermine (Me(2)Spm) can ameliorate pancreatic injury. We investigated the roles of polyamine catabolism in re...