Two-arm observational study to assess the efficacy of cooled versus conventional radiofrequency ablation of medial branch nerves in patients with lumbar facet joint arthropathy

Background: Pain originating in the facet joint accounts for an estimated 15%–45% of cases of low back pain. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of the medial branch nerves (MBN) is used in refractory cases. However, very few studies have compared the clinical outcomes of cooled versus conventional/traditional RFA (T-RFA) for the treatment of lumbar facet joint pain. Objective: To determine the clinical outcomes of MBN cooled RFA (C-RFA) compared with T-RFA, as measured by improvements in pain and physical function. Methodology: Forty patients with positive diagnostic MBN blocks were allocated to C-RFA or T-RFA group. Reduction in pain (NRS “Numerical Rating Scale” score), improvement in quality of life (Oswestry Disability Index [ODI]), proportion of responders/successful treatment (≥50% NRS reduction, and or ≥30% or ≥15 point reduction in ODI at 6 months follow up) in the two groups were recorded. Results: Total 34 patients were analysed, C-RFA (n = 18) and T-RFA (n = 16). There was significant reduction in pain scores as well as improvement in quality of life in both the groups, but the difference between the two groups was not significant. NRS reduction of ≥50% was observed in 72.22% and 68.5% of participants in the C-RFA and T-RFA groups, respectively (P = 0.824). A ≥15-point or ≥30% reduction in ODI score was observed in 77.77% and 75% of participants in the C-RFA and T-RFA groups, respectively (P = 0.849). Conclusions: Both the groups showed significant improvement in pain scores and quality of life. C-RFA resulted in greater treatment success rate than conventional RFA, but the difference was not significant.