Nerve root block and facet block for degenerative lumbar disorders

Abstract

Nerve root infiltration (NRI) and facet joint injection were applied to patients with degenerative lumbar disorders. NRI was used for the conservative treatment in a half of the patients with radicular symptoms, especially in patients with older age, slight symptoms. The effect persisted more than 24 hours. Facet joint injection was used for clinical diagnosis of facet arthrosis. In patients with long-lasting symptoms associated with facet arthrosis, facet denervation using electric coagulation was applied. 70% of patients with facet arthosis showed relatively favor results but 25% of patient did not even if the nerve block for the facet joint was effective.