Abstract
This paper describes the clinical results of percutaneous electrical cauterization of the postero-medial branch of the spinal nerve root for lumbar facet joint pain. Between 1990 and 1993, we treated 31 patients using this procedures. There were 21 males and 10 females with an average age of 63.1 years. The mean follow-up period is 15 months.
The clinical results were evaluated by Japanese Orthopaedic Association score excluding neuroogical signs and subjective leg symptoms. This score has 20 full points. At the time of admission, mean score is 7.2 points. At the time of discharge and follow-up, the mean score is 15.6 and 14.8 points respectively. A favorable clinical response was achieved in most of cases. Although 8 patients had lower points 5 months after the procedure compared with that at the time of discharge, the degree was not as much as before the treatment. The results show that this treatment is not invasive procedure and effective for lumbar facet joint pain.
