50% relief from cervical RFA

[MitchLevi]

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False. I don’t have a PA. I see all my procedure follow-ups… would be nice if I didn’t.

I’m sure it was a tongue in cheek response, but it also sounds like the conversations here where doctors who perform cervical RFA claim no incidence of neuritis, which is utterly ridiculous.

I did 90C for like 2-3M, got crushed with phone calls and then go back to 85C with no phone calls. Do ONE lumbar RFA at 90C with an immediate phone call.

 

[MD87]

I’m sure it was a tongue in cheek response, but it also sounds like the conversations here where doctors who perform cervical RFA claim no incidence of neuritis, which is utterly ridiculous.

I did 90C for like 2-3M, got crushed with phone calls and then go back to 85C with no phone calls. Do ONE lumbar RFA at 90C with an immediate phone call.

Got it. Definitely seems odd. Don’t know how to explain it unless there is something significantly different about the lesions generated with my machine/needles than yours. I can honestly say I’ve never had neuritis in the low back except for 1 guy who was a disaster (stim, pump, PO meds) who I should have never RF’d but thought maybe I could help him (I couldn’t)

 

[callmeanesthesia]

I’m sure it was a tongue in cheek response, but it also sounds like the conversations here where doctors who perform cervical RFA claim no incidence of neuritis, which is utterly ridiculous.

I did 90C for like 2-3M, got crushed with phone calls and then go back to 85C with no phone calls. Do ONE lumbar RFA at 90C with an immediate phone call.

I have to wonder if it’s a machine issue or maybe population issue. I’ve been doing 90c for lumbar for over a year now, and maybe 2 or 3 cases of neuritis in that time. Cervical 85 and I see it all the time.

 

[clubdeac]

Got to be the machine. I’ve been doing 90 degrees for several yrs without a noticeably higher incidence of neuritis

 

[bedrock]

Got to be the machine. I’ve been doing 90 degrees for several yrs without a noticeably higher incidence of neuritis

I have to wonder if it’s a machine issue or maybe population issue. I’ve been doing 90c for lumbar for over a year now, and maybe 2 or 3 cases of neuritis in that time. Cervical 85 and I see it all the time.

Agree it’s the machine. I do 90 x 90. Not a single case of neuritis that didn’t have TON lesioned.

It’s fine for you Mitch to just use 85 degrees. But if you ever get a new RF machine, you might try 90 with that one.

 

[Asclepius186]

I’m sure it was a tongue in cheek response, but it also sounds like the conversations here where doctors who perform cervical RFA claim no incidence of neuritis, which is utterly ridiculous.

I did 90C for like 2-3M, got crushed with phone calls and then go back to 85C with no phone calls. Do ONE lumbar RFA at 90C with an immediate phone call.

Yes tongue in cheek. Didn’t mean to offend. As he said, doctors on here who claim they never have neuritis after cervical RF are either oblivious or lying. The oblivious sort probably have a PA who deals with the post procedure issues like that, so they just assume their RFs are always awesome.

 

[mille125]

Agree with the second point but not the first.

I would consider 50% relief after RFA to be an adequate response.

I would consider 80% relief after RFA to be a “very good” response.

agreed

 

[mille125]

Does anyone find cervical RFA to be far more effective than lumbar RFA? I’ve never had a single patient tell me cervical RFA didn’t help quite a bit. I’ve absolutely had complete non-responders to lumbar RFA despite having no pain following MBB

I dont think there is a difference for actually helping with facet pathology but I do think that diagnosis is more straight forward in the cervical spine so you are likely selecting those who truly have primarily facet disease in the cervical spine compared to lumbar.