• Simone Vigneri, Gianfranco Sindaco, Marco La Grua, Matteo Zanella, Valentina Paci, Francesca Maria Vinci, Chiara Sciacca, Alberto Merlini, and Gilberto Pari.
• Pain Medicine Department, Santa Maria Maddalena Hospital, Occhiobello, Italy.
• Pain Pract. 2021 Mar 1; 21 (3): 277-284.

IntroductionScientific data about neurophysiological changes subsequent to pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) are still lacking. The goal of this study was to evaluate sural nerve conduction and Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex) in soleus muscle following adhesiolysis and PRF in patients with unilateral chronic lumbosacral L5-S1 neuropathic radiating pain.MethodsSeventeen patients received two cycles of 240 seconds high-voltage PRF and epidural adhesiolysis. Sural nerve action potential (SNAP) and the ratio of maximum H-reflex to maximum M response (H/M ratio) as well as pain scores were collected in both lower limbs before, immediately following, and 1 month after the treatment.ResultsAt follow-up, a significant reduction in numeric rating scale (NRS) and Douleur Neuropathique 4 Questions (DN4) scores was observed in 53% of patients reporting pain improvement of ≥ 30% over baseline. The H/M ratio was decreased in the affected limb following PRF (P = 0.01) and 1 month after the treatment (P = 0.04). A direct correlation was observed between H/M ratio variation and NRS score at follow-up in the treated limb (P = 0.04). No significant difference in sural nerve latency, amplitude, and velocity was detected between affected and normal side after treatment and at follow-up.ConclusionsEpidural adhesiolysis and PRF of the dorsal root ganglion seem to significantly affect spinal reflexes in patients with lumbosacral neuropathic radiating pain.© 2020 World Institute of Pain.

38 keywords...

hide…