2022 Volume 29 Issue 9 Pages 193-197
Dorsal scapular nerve (DSN) is considered a spinal nerve that affects interscapular pain. Sixteen patients received the DSN block under ultrasound guidance at the posterior scapular regions. All patients had experienced acceptable pain reduction for a few weeks, but all of them required the following block at four weeks after the block. They received the ultrasound-guided pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) to DSN instead of the block. A linear transducer was placed on their neck similar to the posterior approach to the brachial plexus. DSN was located within or around the middle scalene muscle. PRF treatment at 2 Hz with 20-ms burst was administered at 42℃ for 120s using a PRF generator. All participating patients experienced significant pain relief after PRF. Four weeks after PRF, the average numerical rating scale declined from 7.6 to 1.9. At four weeks, 12 patients experienced ＞50％ pain reduction. PRF to DSN might inhibit excitatory nociceptive afferent fibers of DSN and prevent the chronification of the pain.
