ABSTRACT
Methods@#In this study, 64 patients who underwent EFJD were included. The main outcome of interest was patients’ Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain score, which was recorded at 3-time points (i.e., before operation and 6 weeks and 12 months after surgery). @*Results@#EFJD effectively reduced the VAS pain scores by 58% in the short term (6 weeks) and 38% in the long term (12 months). Patients with isolated facet joint osteoarthritis benefited more (p <0.001). @*Conclusions@#EFJD is a good treatment alternative for CLBP originating from the facet joints, particularly in patients with isolated facet joint osteoarthritis. Moreover, this method can address not only the dorsal medial ramus but also the surrounding tissue (e.g., facet joint capsule, facet joint effusion, and osteophytes) as the origin of CLBP.
