Efficacy of radiofrequency thermocoagulation at spinal nerve posterior branch and local pain points in the treatment of elderly patients with chronic low back pain caused by osteoporosis vertebra compressed fracture

Objective To observe the efficacy of radiofrequency thermocoagulation at spinal nerve posterior branch and local pain points in the treatment of elderly patients with chronic low back pain caused by osteoporosis vertebra compressed fracture. Methods Sixty patients with chronic low back pain caused by osteoporosis vertebra compressed fracture, from March 2014 to October 2017 in the 81st Group Army Hospital of the PLA Army (the original 251st Hospital of PLA), 19 males and 41 females, aged 67-82 years, were randomly divided into SR group and TSR group, 30 cases in each group. The patients received radiofrequency thermocoagulation at superior and inferior spinal nerve posterior branch in SR group. The target vertebral body was determined firstly, then puncture under DSA guidance followed by radiofrequency at the temperature of 65, 70, 75 ℃ for 2 min respectively. Radiofrequency at spinal nerve posterior branch was the same as mentioned above, while patients also received pain points radiofrequency at the temperature of 70 ℃ for 1 min in TSR group. The local pain points were determined by the intensity and pain area over the painful vertebral and fluctuation area. VAS and ODI were recorded at 1 day, 7 days, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after the treatment. Results Compared with pre-treatment, VAS was decreased at each time point after the treatment in two groups (P 0.05). Conclusion Radiofrequency thermocoagulation at spinal nerve posterior branch and local pain points is an effective method in elderly patients with chronic low back pain caused by osteoporosis vertebra compressed fracture, and the long-efficacy is better than posterior branch of spinal nerve radiofrequency only. Key words: Spinal nerves; Pain point; Radiofrequency thermocoagulation; Osteoporotic fractures; Fractures, compression; Low back pain