Factors influencing treatment outcomes of ultrasound-guided pulsed radiofrequency in chronic sacroiliac joint pain: a 6-month follow-up study.

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the effect of ultrasound-guided pulsed radiofrequency applied to the L5 dorsal ramus and the lateral branches of the posterior primary rami at S1-3 for chronic sacroiliac joint pain and identify factors associated with treatment success.

Material and methods: This retrospective study included 58 patients with chronic sacroiliac joint pain who underwent ultrasound-guided pulsed radiofrequency treatment after failing conservative management. Treatment success was defined as ≥50% improvement in the NRS score at the 6-month follow-up. Demographic, clinical, and procedural factors were analyzed.

Results: The successful treatment group (n=26, 44.8%) showed significant reduction in median NRS pain scores from 7.00 to 2.00 (p<0.001) and marked improvement in ODI functional scores. Factors significantly associated with success included younger age (p=0.02), lower BMI (p<0.001), shorter symptom duration (p<0.001), nonsmoking status (p<0.001), and absence of previous spinal (p=0.03) or hip surgery (p=0.04). Early response to treatment was predictive of long-term success.

Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided pulsed radiofrequency treatment provided significant pain reduction in approximately half of the patients with chronic sacroiliac joint pain at 6-month follow-up. Identified predictive factors may improve patient selection and treatment outcomes.