Neuromodulación percutánea utilizando radiofrecuencia pulsada versus crioablación en pacientes con síndrome facetario lumbar / Percutaneous neuromodulation with pulsating radiofrequency vs cryoablation for the treatment of patients with lumbar facet syndrome

Resumen: Introducción: El dolor en columna lumbar afecta a un alto porcentaje de la población y presenta un significativo impacto socioeconómico. El síndrome facetario lumbar tiene una prevalencia entre 15-31% con incidencia a lo largo de la vida de hasta 52% en algunas series. Debido al empleo de distintos tipos de tratamiento y diversos criterios de selección de los pacientes, la tasa de éxito varía en la literatura. Objetivo: Comparar resultados de tratamiento con rizólisis aplicando radiofrecuencia pulsada versus crioablación en pacientes con diagnóstico de síndrome facetario lumbar. Material y métodos: De Enero de 2019 a Noviembre de 2019, ocho pacientes fueron divididos aleatoriamente en dos grupos: el grupo A tratados con radiofrecuencia pulsada y el grupo B tratados con crioablación. Se evaluó el dolor con la escala visual análoga y el índice de discapacidad de dolor lumbar de Oswestry a las cuatro semanas, además de tres y seis meses. Resultados: El seguimiento fue de seis meses. De forma inmediata los ocho pacientes (100%) refirieron mejoría de los síntomas y del dolor. De los cuatro pacientes que se encontraban en limitación funcional intensa, uno pasó a estar sin limitación funcional, dos de ellos pasaron a limitación funcional mínima y uno a limitación funcional moderada al primer mes; se reportaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas. Conclusiones: Ambos tratamientos controlan el dolor en el corto plazo; también hay una mejoría de las capacidades físicas. La morbilidad que acompaña a la neurólisis, ya sea radiofrecuencia o crioablación, es muy baja.

Abstract: Introduction: Lumbar spine pain affects a high percentage of the population and has a significant socioeconomic impact. Lumbar facet syndrome has a prevalence between 15-31% with lifetime incidence of up to 52% in some series. Due to the use of different types of treatment and different patient selection criteria, the success rate varies in the literature. Objective: To compare results of treatment with rhizolysis applying pulsed radiofrequency versus cryoablation in patients diagnosed with lumbar facet syndrome. Material and methods: From January 2019 to November 2019, eight patients were randomly divided into two groups: group A treated with pulsed radiofrequency and group B treated with cryoablation. Pain was assessed with the visual analogue scale and the Oswestry low back pain disability index at four weeks, in addition to three and six months. Results: Follow-up was six months. Immediately the eight patients (100%) reported improvement in symptoms and pain. Of the four patients who were in intense functional limitation, one of them became without functional limitation, and two of them went to minimum functional limitation and one to moderate functional limitation at the first month, statistically significant differences were reported. Conclusions: Both treatments control pain in the short term; there is also an improvement in physical abilities. The morbidity accompanying neurolysis either radiofrequency or cryoablation is very low.

Valoración de la eficacia analgésica del bloqueo facetario lumbar en función de la técnica de imagen utilizada: ecografía frente a fluoroscopia / Evaluation of the analgesic efficacy of lumbar facet block as a function of the imaging technique used: ultrasound versus fluoroscopy

Objetivo: En la lumbalgia mecánica por síndrome facetario lumbar están indicadas como opciones terapéuticas los bloqueos periarticulares e intrarticulares de las articulaciones facetarias lumbares, así como el bloqueo nervioso del ramo medial de la raíz o ramo posterior del nervio raquídeo. El bloqueo nervioso del ramo medial puede llevarse a cabo mediante control ecográfico o radioscópico. El objetivo de este estudio es valorar si existen diferencias en la eficacia analgésica del bloqueo en función de la técnica de imagen con la que se lleva a cabo (ecografía frente a radioscopia-fluoroscopia). Pacientes y método: Se ha realizado un estudio clínico transversal durante el mes de noviembre de 2020, analizando los bloqueos facetarios realizados en la Unidad del Dolor del Hospital Universitario Clínico de Salamanca entre mayo de 2018 y septiembre de 2020. La muestra analizada cuenta con 315 pacientes, de los cuales 212 fueron sometidos a bloqueo facetario ecoguiado en consulta y 103 se realizaron bajo control radioscópico en el quirófano. Se ha evaluado la medida del dolor inicial, previo al bloqueo, mediante la escala analógica visual (EVA inicial), así como la EVA final y el porcentaje de mejoría subjetiva recogido en los 15 días posteriores a la realización de la intervención, valorando sus diferencias en función de la técnica de imagen empleada para su realización. Resultados: Los valores de EVA final de los pacientes que se realizaron el bloqueo mediante radioscopia y la de aquellos que lo realizaron ecoguiado fue similar, con un resultado final de 3,5 (mediana), así como el porcentaje de mejoría subjetiva que también fue similar en ambos grupos, alcanzando esta el 50 %. Conclusiones: No existen diferencias en la eficacia analgésica del bloqueo facetario lumbar en función de la técnica de imagen empleada para su realización: radioscopia-fluoroscopia o ecografía.(AU)

Objective: In mechanical low back pain due to lumbar facet syndrome, periarticular and intra-articular blocks of the lumbar facet joints as well as nerve blocks of the medial branch of the spinal nerve root or posterior branch of the spinal nerve are indicated as therapeutic options. The nerve block of the medial branch can be performed by ultrasound or radioscopic monitoring. The aim of this study is to assess whether there are differences in the analgesic efficacy of the block depending on the imaging technique used (ultrasound versus fluoroscopic-radioscopy). Patients and method: A cross-sectional clinical study was conducted during the month of November 2020, analysing the facet blocks performed in the Pain Unit of the Hospital Universitario Clínico de Salamanca between May 2018 and September 2020. The sample analysed consisted of 315 patients, of whom 212 underwent an echo-guided facet block in consultation and 103 were performed under radioscopic control in the operating theatre. The initial pain measurement, prior to the block, was evaluated using the visual analogue scale (initial VAS), as well as the final VAS and the percentage of subjective improvement recorded 15 days after the intervention, assessing the differences according to the imaging technique used for its performance. Results: The final VAS values of the patients who underwent radioscopic block and those who underwent echo-guided block were similar, with a final result of 3.5 (median), as was the percentage of subjective improvement, which was also similar in both groups, reaching 50 %. Conclusions: There are no differences in the analgesic efficacy of the lumbar facet block depending on the imaging technique used for its performance: fluoroscopy-radioscopy or ultrasound.(AU)

Diagnostic nerve blocks in the management of low back pain secondary to facet joint syndrome. / Bloqueos diagnósticos en el manejo del paciente con lumbalgia secundaria a síndrome facetario.

Low back pain is currently one of the main public health problems. Among the multiple causes, pain in the zygapophysial joints, also called facets or posterior vertebral joints, are an important cause, usually secondary to osteoarthritis. The source of low back pain is often difficult to find, making the therapeutic approach to the patient sub-optimal. Diagnostic blocks are a very important tool in establishing an adequate treatment for patients with low back pain, as long as they are performed accurately, with an adequate local anaesthetic volume, with a suitable image and fluoroscopic projection and its result are precisely interpreted. In this article a review is presented on the importance of diagnostic blocks, as well as how they should be performed in order to obtain the maximum information and the greatest therapeutic benefit.

Factores de crecimiento ozonizados en el síndrome facetario lumbar / Ozonized growth factors in the lumbar facet syndrome

El tratamiento de las patologías discales y degenerativas que afectan a las articulaciones interfacetarias de la columna vertebral representan entre ambas más del 95% de los objetivos curativos en esta área del cuerpo, en razón de esto, esta investigación evalúa los efectos de los factores de crecimiento ozonizados en pacientes con diagnóstico de síndrome facetario lumbar, así como también, valorar la intensidad del dolor en el síndrome facetario, determinando el grado de movilidad articular previo y posteriora la infiltración. Métodos: la presente investigación se considera un estudio descriptivo y prospectivo, con un diseño es preexperimental, en pacientes que acudieron a la consulta de terapia del dolor del Hospital Dr. Pedro García Clara, en Ciudad Ojeda, estado Zulia-Venezuela. Los resultados se expresaron como valores absolutos, en porcentajes, media ± desviación estándar (M±DE), analizando las diferencias de los resultados mediante la prueba "t" de Student, cuando fueron aplicables, tomando un valor de p<0.05. Resultados: se evidencia, que los factores de crecimiento ozonizados infiltrados en los pacientes con diagnóstico de síndrome facetario lumbar, tienen efectos clínicos significativos, en cuanto a la disminución de la intensidad del dolor y el aumento del grado de movilidad articular. Conclusiones: el uso del plasma rico ozonizado es una técnica efectiva para disminuir la intensidad del dolor cuando es utilizado en el síndrome facetario ya que permite una aumento significativo de los grados de movilidad articulares de la columna lumbar (flexión, extensión e inclinación. Es una técnica sencilla, eficaz, económica y con efectos adversos mínimos(AU)

The treatment of the disc and degenerative pathologies that affect the interfaceative joints of the spine represent between them more than 95% of the healing objectives in this area of the body, because of this, this research evaluates the effects of the growth factors Ozonized in patients with a diagnosis of lumbar facet syndrome, as well as assessing the intensity of pain in facet syndrome, determining the degree of joint mobility before and after infiltration. Methods: the present investigation is considered a descriptive and prospective study, with a pre-experimental design, in patients who attended the pain therapy consultation of the Dr. Pedro García Clara Hospital, in Ciudad Ojeda, Zulia-Venezuela state. thee results were expressed as absolute values, in percentages, mean ± standard deviation (M ± SD), analyzing the differences of the results by means of the Student "t" test, whenapplicable, taking a value of p <0.05. Results: it is evidenced that infiltrated ozonized growth factors in patients with a diagnosis of lumbar facet syndrome, have significant clinical effects, in terms of the decrease in pain intensity and the increase in the degree of joint mobility. Conclusions: the use of ozonated rich plasma is an effective technique to reduce the intensity of pain when used in facet syndrome because it allows a significant increase in the degrees of joint mobility of the lumbar spine (flexion, extension and tilt.) It is a simple, effective technique, economic and with minimal adverse effects(AU)

Lordosis manoeuvre in the diagnosis of lumbar facet syndrome. / Efectividad de la maniobra lordosante en el diagnóstico del síndrome facetario lumbar.

UNLABELLED: In lumbar pain patients an aetiopathogenic diagnosis leads to a better management. When there are alarm signs, they should be classified on an anatomical basis through anamnesis and physical examination. A significant group is of facet origin (lumbar facet syndrome [LFS]), but the precise clinical diagnosis remains cumbersome and time-consuming. In clinical practice it is observed that patients with an advanced degenerative disease do not perform extension or rotation of their lumbar spine when prompted to extend it, but rather knee flexion, making the manoeuvre meaningless. For this reason, a new simple and quick clinical test was developed for the diagnosis of lumbar facet syndrome, with a facet block-test as a confirmation. HYPOTHESIS: The new test is better than a classic one in the diagnosis of facet syndrome, and probably even better than imaging studies MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on a series of 68 patients (01/01/2012-30/06/2013). A comparison in between: classic manoeuvre (CM), imaging diagnostics (ID), and the new lordosis manoeuvre (LM) test. Examination and block test by one author, and evaluation of results by another one. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Deformity and instability. using a physical. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of a new clinical test (LM) for the diagnosis of LFS (as confirmed by a positive block-test of medial branch of dorsal ramus of the lumbar root, RMRDRL). STATISTICS: R package software. RESULTS: The LM was most effective (p<.0001; Kappa 0.524, p<.001). There was no correlation between either the CM or ID and the block-test results (Kappa, CM: 0.078; p=.487, and ID: 0.195; p=.105). There was a correlation between ID (CAT/MR) and LM (p=.024; Kappa 0.289 p=.014), although not with CM. There was no correlation between ID (plain X-rays) and CM or LM. CONCLUSIONS: A new test for diagnosis of LFS is presented that is reliable, quick, and simple. Clinical examination is more reliable than imaging test for the diagnosis of LFS.