ArticleCureus2025
Opioid Dose Reduction Vis-à-Vis Lumbar Medial Branch Intervention.
Article in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- The effectiveness of lumbar medial branch radiofrequency ablation using a three-tined electrode: A real-world cross-sectional cohort study.Interventional pain medicine · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction Lumbar facet arthropathy (LFA) is a chronic degenerative condition that evolves over time. Osteoarthritis is defined by bony overgrowth, joint effusions, and synovial cysts. These findings are also seen in LFA, as there is degeneration of the facet joints throughout the spine. It primarily affects individuals >40 years of age and is a leading cause of low back pain. The most affected region of the lumbar spine includes the L4/L5 and L5/sacral ala junctions. We investigated the association between lumbar medial branch blocks (LMBBs) and radiofrequency ablations (RFAs), and the reduction in prescription opioid use in patients with LFA. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study of patients presenting to an outpatient pain medicine clinic with documented LFA. A total of 526 patients with LFA who underwent an LMBB, RFA, or a combination of both procedures were evaluated for morphine-equivalent opioid prescriptions in the outpatient clinic before and after the interventions. We used a paired t-test to compare pre- and post-procedure results to assess changes in prescribed morphine equivalent medications. Results There were statistically significant reductions in prescription opioid use when standardized to morphine equivalency in patients who underwent an LMBB or a combination of both LMBB and RFA procedures. For patients who underwent an LMBB procedure, the mean reduction in opioid equivalence dose from pre- to post-procedure was 4.06 mg. Among those who received both LMBB and RFA, the reduction was 6.10 mg, suggesting that the addition of RFA may further enhance the decrease in opioid use. Conclusions We found that individuals who underwent an LMBB or a combination of LMBB and RFA procedures had a significant reduction in morphine-equivalent drug use within the outpatient pain medicine clinic. These findings support the effectiveness of these procedures in reducing pain from LFA and highlight their potential to lessen the associated healthcare burden.
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Registered trials
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