2019 Volume 26 Issue 1 Pages 32-35
This retrospective study aimed to test the hypothesis that pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) may enhance analgesic effect and provide symptomatic improvements for patients with herpes zoster-related pain. Seven patients with herpes zoster-related pain who underwent PRF in 2016 were enrolled. The sample included four males and three females. The mean age was 71.2±12.3 years old. Of the seven patients, PRF was administered once in five patients, twice in one patient, and three times in one patient. The interval from the onset of herpes zoster to the first administration of PRF ranged from 42 days to 5.3 years. After PRF, the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain scores improved and clinical symptoms including allodynia were ameliorated, in six patients, regardless of their disease durations. There were no reported complications. Further larger scale prospective trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy of PRF including its duration of effectiveness at each clinical stage.
