Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40375134›Full record

ArticleBMC anesthesiology2025

A novel approach to ultrasound-guided L3-4 thoracolumbar fascia injection for chronic pain after spine surgery: a prospective pilot study.

Yingying Lv, Junzhen Wu, Yongming Xu, Shaofeng Pu, Chen Li, Dongping Du

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC anesthesiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Yingying LvPain Management Center, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 600, Yishan Road, Shanghai, China.
Junzhen WuPain Management Center, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 600, Yishan Road, Shanghai, China.
Yongming XuPain Management Center, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 600, Yishan Road, Shanghai, China.
Shaofeng PuPain Management Center, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 600, Yishan Road, Shanghai, China.
Chen LiPain Management Center, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 600, Yishan Road, Shanghai, China.
Dongping DuPain Management Center, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 600, Yishan Road, Shanghai, China. dudp@sjtu.edu.cn.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82271250
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFascial tissues have been overlooked in the past, and there are only few studies on the thoracolumbar fascia and its treatment methods. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-guided bilateral L3-4 thoracolumbar fascia injection in treating postoperative low back pain.

methodsA prospective pilot study was conducted at a university hospital. Twenty-six patients with postoperative low back pain resistant to conservative therapies and US-guided bilateral L3-4 medial branch block (MBB) were included as participants. They were treated with US-guided L3-4 mid-thoracolumbar fascia injection. Using real-time fluoroscopy, we monitored the contrast medium's diffusion range and double-checked the needle tips' positions throughout the procedures. The pain numeric rating scales (NRS), lumbar anteflexion range of motion (ROM), and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were assessed through telephone interviews one, four, and twelve weeks after the procedures. All data were processed by SPSS software version 23.0 (IBM Corp., New York).

resultsCompared with NRS at baseline, pain scores decreased throughout the observation period. Lumbar anteflexion range of motion of US-guided bilateral L3-4 mid-thoracolumbar fascia injection continuously improved during the first, fourth, and twelfth week. No intravascular injections or neurologic injuries were observed.

conclusionThe US-guided bilateral L3-4 mid-thoracolumbar fascia injection facilitated a uniform dispersion of the medication, akin to the gentle spread of a goose feather, between the erector spinalis and quadratus lumborum muscles across the affected lumbar vertebrae. This technique demonstrated substantial clinical effectiveness in patients who were unresponsive to standard US-guided MBB.

Indexed as

Chronic PainFasciaLow Back PainPostoperative PainUltrasonography, InterventionalAdultAgedFemaleHumansLumbar VertebraeMaleMiddle AgedNerve BlockPain MeasurementPilot ProjectsProspective StudiesL3-4 thoracolumbar fascia injectionPostoperative low back pain

Identifiers

PMID40375134
PMCPMC12079813

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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.