Bipolar versus Unipolar Pulsed Radio Frequency in Chronic Lumbosacral Radicular Pain | ||
| Al-Azhar University Journal of Medical and Virus Researches and Studies | ||
| Volume 7, Issue 2, August 2025, Pages 1-13 PDF (403.82 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/aujv.2025.459389 | ||
| Abstract | ||
| One of the most frequent complaints in neurosurgical practice is lumbar radicular pain (LRP), which poses a challenge in achieving proper pain control. To evaluate the effect of bipolar Pulsed radio frequency and monopolar Pulsed radio frequency on the dorsal root ganglia for the management of lumbosacral radicular pain. Primary outcomes measure the degree of pain and Functional ability in the 1st, 3rd month by using Numerical Pain Rating scale and Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire. Secondary outcomes measure the degree of pain and functional ability at 6th month by using Numerical Pain Rating scale and Oswestry Low back Pain Disability Questionnaire. This is a randomized comparative uncontrolled clinical study that was certified by the approval of Ethical Committee of Al-Azhar Faculty of Medicine and conducted in the department of Anesthesia, Al-Zahraa University hospital. A total of 90 patients with low back pain were randomly allocated into two groups, 45 patients in each: Monopolar Pulsed radio frequency group and Bipolar Pulsed radio frequency group. in the first group each patient will be treated with monopolar Pulsed radio frequency on the affected DRG at 42 °C for 360 second only with injection of 1.5 mg dexamethasone plus 2 ml of 1% lidocaine per root. in the second group each patient will be treated with bipolar Pulsed radio frequency on the affected DRG at 42 °C for 360 second only and injection of 1.5 mg dexamethasone plus 2 ml of 1% lidocaine per root. No statistically significant difference between the two studied groups as regard Numerical Pain Rating scale (NRS) assessed at baseline and after 1 month (p=0.504 & 0.095). A statistically significant higher mean NRS after 3 months among monopolar than bipolar groups (3.20±1.56 versus 2.36±0.82, p=0.002). Also, statistically significant higher mean NRS after 6 months among monopolar group than bipolar group (2.83±1.35 versus 2.28±0.82, p=0.016). No statistically significant difference between the two studied groups as regards Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability index (ODI) assessed at baseline and after 1 month (p=0.396 & 0.291). A statistically significant difference of ODI after 3 months & 6 months with better improvement among bipolar group than unipolar group of PRF. The current study found that both monopolar PRF and bipolar PRF stimulation to the DRG effectively reduced chronic lumbosacral radicular pain. Furthermore, we showed that bipolar PRF provided excellent pain alleviation and little impairment. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Bipolar; Chronic pain; Dorsal root ganglion; Lumbosacral radicular pain; Monopolar; Pulsed radiofrequency | ||
|
Statistics Article View: 7 PDF Download: 3 |
||
