Purpose:

The aim of our study is to compare the pain score results of patients treated with facet injection or facet denervation, to understand which technique is more effective.

Materials and Methods:

28 patients who were treated by facet denervation with radiofrequency thermocoagulation and 28 patients who were treated with facet injection due to chronic lower back pain in Muş State Hospital were retrospectively inspected. Physical examination showed local tenderness of the lumbar region, and pain with rotation and hyperextension movements. Numerical pain scoring of the chronic lower back pain on a scale of 0 to 10 was used for the evaluation of pain, where 0 defines no pain and 10 is the worst pain. Scoring was repeated at months 1 and 3 after surgery.

Results:

According to the pain score, the complaints of the patients reduced at a rate of 58% at the end of the first month, and 71% at the end of the third month, on facet denervation treatment. The mean was 50% at the end of the first month, decreasing to 20% for the third month, on facet injection treatment.

Conclusion:

When comparing facet injection and facet denervation, this study shows that facet denervation with radiofrequency thermocoagulation is a more effective minimally invasive treatment. Proper patient selection and application of the process to the appropriate anatomical points are factors allowing better results to be achieved.

Keywords: Facet joint denervation, facet injection, chronic lower back pain, radiofrequency thermocoagulation denervation