ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the effect of nerve root pulsed radiofrequency combined with neurotropin(NTP) by epidural injection for treating neuralgia in elderly patients with herpeszoster. Methods Sixty patients aged 60-85 years old with herpes zoster neuralgia were selected and divided into the observation group and control group. The control group was given the epidural injection of NTP,while the observation group was given the therapy of nerve root pulsed radiofrequency combined with NTP. Then the curative effects were observed in the two groups. The visual analogue scale (VSA) and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) were used to evaluate the status of sleep improvement and the occurrence rate of post herpetic neuralgia (PHN) was also calculated. Results The VAS and PSQI scores at each time points of 1,3,6 months in the both groups were significantly superior to those before treatment (P<0.05). Compared with the control group,the VAS score at each time point after treatment in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.05) ;The PHN occurrence rate after 6 months of treatment in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Nerve root pulsed radiofrequency combined with NTP by epidural injection is a good method for treating neuralgia in elderly patients with herpes zoster.