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Background: To assess prevalence facet-joint arthropathy in chronic low back pain using computed tomography. Methods: A retrospective study profiled and analysed objective data from patients CT scans and previous records. Results: Facetal arthropathy was graded by Pathria’s criteria.102 joints (33.12%) were grade 1, 113 (36.69%) grade 2, 63 (20.45%) grade 3, and 30 (9.74. %) grade 4. Final result showed that females were affected more than the male in Grade II, III and IV. Age group more affected was between 46-85 years. Conclusions: Our study on chronic low back pain revealed prevalence of facet-joint involvement 66.88% (206 patients) in rural population with age group involved more than 46 years.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Cervical facet joint needling and stimulation is useful for the management of cervical facet arthropathy, but a direct needling of the joint may injure the capsule and cause post-needling pain.We developed a new approaching technique for cervical facet joint needling and stimulation. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 24 patients with cervical facet arthropathy who underwent facet joint needling and stimulation through oblique posterior approach.Under ultrasonographic guidance, a specially designed dry needle (Ahn's needle) was inserted at midline of posterior neck and advanced obliquely to posterior and lateral side of facet joint.The procedure was completed when a marked reduction in resistance was felt at the tip of the needle.Follow-ups using the numeric rating pain scale (NRS) and the rate of self-rated improvement were conducted at three weeks and about three months after last treatment by telephone interview. RESULTS: Among them, 23 patients were enrolled.The average of NRS decreased from 6.8 +/- 3.0 to 2.7 +/- 3.0 at 3 weeks and to 2.9 +/- 2.0 at 3 months after the last treatment (P < 0.05).The average rate of self-rated improvement was 63.7 +/- 7.2 and 61.6 +/- 3.0% at 3 weeks and 3 months after the last treatment respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our result suggested that this technique for dry needling around cervical facet joint under ultrasound guidance is one of the successful options to treat neck pain derived from facet joint.