RFA max number

[painkiller]

any literature out there stating what the max number of rfa a patient can have before it is no longer a viable procedure for pain relief??

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[emd123]

Hmm...good question. Not aware of any literature on that but it seems that at some point, when rf is repeated and then fails (whether it's the second third or whatever number) then you're done. Whether anyone has bothered to study that, I'm not sure.

 

[nvrsumr]

 

[lonelobo]

13

 

[Ducttape]

42

 

[emd123]

43?

 

[Pacman27]

Every 6 months
Always do 2 diagnostic injections
Always do one level at a time and one side a time, for the diagnostic and RF
Make sure you own the ASC where it is done
If patient continues to have pain keep going up spine
Repeat process

That equals winning


To answer OP question, I think it is reasonable as long as they get adequate relief. We had an attending who would do neurolytic on the medial branches if the pateint failed the repeat RF but responded well to mbb's

 

[Ligament]

Every 6 months
Always do 2 diagnostic injections
Always do one level at a time and one side a time, for the diagnostic and RF
Make sure you own the ASC where it is done
If patient continues to have pain keep going up spine
Repeat process

That equals winning

I can't comprehend that level of awesome.

 

[Ligament]

Every 6 months
Always do 2 diagnostic injections
Always do one level at a time and one side a time, for the diagnostic and RF
Make sure you own the ASC where it is done
If patient continues to have pain keep going up spine
Repeat process

That equals winning


To answer OP question, I think it is reasonable as long as they get adequate relief. We had an attending who would do neurolytic on the medial branches if the pateint failed the repeat RF but responded well to mbb's

You could make sure ALL your RFs are pulsed instead of continuous.

 

[Ducttape]

43?

i think you missed the reference...

 

[SSdoc33]

how many roads must a man walk down?

 

[emd123]

69?

 

[ampaphb]

85% of 85% of 85% ...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15507813

 

[clubdeac]

Nice reference Pete!