In lumbosciatica due to a herniated disc resistant to medical treatment, a new treatment by pulsed radiofrequency, guided by imaging, would relieve the majority of patients within 10 minutes.
Back pain, or low back pain, is a problem that affects at least 80% of the population at some point in their life. It is the most common cause of work-related disability. Lower back pain affects both men and women.
Most back pain goes away in the short term, but about 10% of people with acute low back pain develop chronic low back pain that lasts at least a year. To face this scourge, a study presented at the annual congress of the Radiological Society of North America, reported on a new treatment that appears to be effective.
Patients resistant to medical treatment
Those with low back pain who had resisted well-conducted conventional medical treatment for 3 months were subjected to a minimally invasive radiology procedure in which a needle was guided under radio control to the location of the disc with herniated disc, on contact. an inflammatory and painful nerve root.
Then, via a mini-probe inserted into the needle, pulsed radiofrequency energy was produced there over a period of 10 minutes. Even without touching the disc, the pulsed radio frequency made the hernia disappear.
Significant relief in 10 minutes
The probe provides gentle electrical energy and there is no heat release or thermal damage to the intervertebral disc or nerve root. ” The results were extraordinary: the patients were relieved and resumed their normal activities within a day “, underlines Dr. Napoli.
Of the 80 patients treated, 81% felt no pain one year after having performed only one 10-minute treatment session. Six people needed a second session of pulsed radio frequency. 90% of patients were able to avoid surgical treatment. With this method, the inflammation and pain disappear. The herniated disc regresses and, with relaxation of the para-vertebral muscles, the distance between the vertebrae returns to normal.
This is a non-comparative study which was carried out in a single center: these results must therefore be validated in a comparative study before any possible generalization.
But the evolution of technologies like this image-guided treatment represents a great hope, although it will certainly not replace surgery for all patients.
.
