Trial reportJournal of orthopaedic surgery and research2020
Endoscopic rhizotomy for chronic lumbar zygapophysial joint pain.
Trial report in Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 23 citations in OpenAlex.
- Current evidence on radiofrequency denervation for chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ open · 2026Pooled it
- Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation and endoscopic neurotomy for lumbar facet joint syndrome: are they good enough?European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2024Pooled it
- Full-endoscopic rhizotomy for degenerative lumbar facet joint syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of spine surgery (Hong Kong) · 2026Article
- Ankylosing spondylitis management: a narrative review of radiofrequency ablation and naproxen.Pain management · 2025Review
- Comparison of the Efficacy of Different Radiofrequency Techniques for the Treatment of Lumbar Facet Joint Pain: Combined with Anatomy.Current pain and headache reports · 2024Review
- Personalized Interventional Surgery of the Lumbar Spine: A Perspective on Minimally Invasive and Neuroendoscopic Decompression for Spinal Stenosis.Journal of personalized medicine · 2023Article
- Lumbar Facet Syndrome and the Use of Radiofrequency Ablation Technique as an Alternative Therapy: A Systematic Review.Revista brasileira de ortopedia · 2023Article
- Endoscopic Facet Joint Denervation on the Lumbar Spine: A Retrospective Analysis.Asian spine journal · 2023Article
- Current Indications for Spinal Endoscopic Surgery and Potential for Future Expansion.Neurospine · 2023Article
- Endoscopic transection of right L3 and L4 medial branch nerves and L5 dorsal ramus: A 2-dimensional operative video.Interventional pain medicine · 2022Article
- How I do it? Full endoscopic lumbar rhizotomy for chronic facet joint pain due to failed back surgery syndrome.Acta neurochirurgica · 2022Article
- Comparative efficacy of radiofrequency denervation in chronic low back pain: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.Frontiers in surgery · 2022Review
- Facet Joint Syndrome: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment.Journal of pain research · 2022Review
- [Research progress in creep characteristics of lumbar intervertebral disc].Zhongguo xiu fu chong jian wai ke za zhi = Zhongguo xiufu chongjian waike zazhi = Chinese journal of reparative and reconstructive surgery · 2020Article
- Endoscopic radiofrequency facet joint treatment in patients with low back pain: technique and long-term results. A prospective cohort study.Therapeutic advances in musculoskeletal disease · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundChronic lumbar zygapophysial joint pain is a common cause of chronic low back pain. Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is one of the effective management options; however, the results from the traditional RFA need to be improved in certain cases. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation under endoscopic guidance (ERFA) for chronic low back pain secondary to facet joint arthritis.
methodsThis is a prospective study enrolled 60 patients. The cases were randomized into two groups: 30 patients in the control group underwent traditional percutaneous radiofrequency ablation, others underwent ERFA. The lumbar visual analog scale (VAS), MacNab score, and postoperative complications were used to evaluate the outcomes. All outcome assessments were performed at postoperative 1 day, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months.
resultsThere was no difference between the two groups in preoperative VAS (P > 0.05). VAS scores, except the postoperative first day, in all other postoperative time points were significantly lower than preoperative values each in both groups (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in VAS at 1 day, 1 month, and 3 months after surgery (P > 0.05). However, the EFRA demonstrated significant benefits at the time points of 3 months and 6 months (P > 0.05). The MacNab scores of 1-year follow-up in the ERFA group were higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The incidence of complications in the ERFA group was significantly less than that in the control group (P < 0.05).
conclusionsERFA may achieve more accurate and definite denervation on the nerves, which leads to longer lasting pain relief.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.