Pain
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Lumbar medial branch radiofrequency neurotomy (RFN), a common treatment for chronic low back pain due to facet joint osteoarthritis (FJOA), may amplify paraspinal muscle atrophy due to denervation. This study aimed to investigate the asymmetry of paraspinal muscle morphology change in patients undergoing unilateral lumbar medial branch RFN. Data from patients who underwent RFN between March 2016 and October 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. ⋯ The RFN side had a higher increase in multifidus muscle atrophy compared with the contralateral side. The absence of significant preinterventional degenerative asymmetry and the specificity of the effect to the multifidus muscle suggest a link to RFN. These findings highlight the importance of considering the long-term effects of lumbar medial branch RFN on paraspinal muscle health.