Radiofrequency Ablation for Treating Headache: a Follow-up Study

Abd‐Elsayed, Alaa; Falls, Cody J; Luo, Susan

doi:10.1007/s11916-020-0843-4

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 2 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…RF ablation is a procedure that generates heat to a specific temperature creating a lesion to a target nerve, resulting in selectively destroying A-delta and C pain fibers. Radiofrequency ablation has been found to be a safe and effective treatment for chronic headaches [33][34][35]. A retrospective study of 46 patients who underwent thermal RF ablation of the GON and LON found significant reductions in pain scores (6.7 vs 2.7, respectively; P < 0.001) with the mean patient-defined percent pain relief of 76.3% ± 25.0%.…”

Section: Radiofrequency Ablation and Cryoneurolysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pulsed RF induces low-intensity, short-duration, high-voltage RF pulses near the target nerve to dampen the conduction of nociceptors. Because the temperature is below the level of nerve destruction, the risk of deafferentation pain syndrome is reduced [34]. Pulsed RF ablation of the GON and LON was performed without complications in 10 patients with ON, decreasing pain scores from 1 to 6 months post-treatment.…”

Section: Radiofrequency Ablation and Cryoneurolysismentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Occipital Neuralgia

Pan

Peng

Elmofty

2021

Curr Pain Headache Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose of Review Occipital neuralgia is a painful condition that affects the posterior aspect of the head and can be difficult to distinguish from other common forms of headaches. This article reviews the anatomy, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, diagnostic testing, and management approaches for occipital neuralgia. Recent Findings Non-pharmacological treatments aim to alleviate muscle tension and improve posture. Acupuncture shows some promise. The occipital nerve block is considered the first line in a minimally invasive intervention, but the duration of relief may be short term. An onabotulinum toxin A injection may improve the sharp but not the dull component of the pain of occipital neuralgia. Radiofrequency ablation and occipital nerve stimulation may provide effective long-term relief in refractory patients. Surgical decompression, neurotomies, and neurolysis are last-resort treatment options. Summary Occipital neuralgia is a debilitating condition that can be difficult to treat. Studies with larger sample sizes and randomized control trials are needed to further determine the effectiveness and safety of different therapies.

show abstract

Section: Radiofrequency Ablation and Cryoneurolysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Radiofrequency Ablation and Cryoneurolysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Occipital Neuralgia

Pan

Peng

Elmofty

2021

Curr Pain Headache Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Both treatments have level C of evidence-based medicine. 14,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22] Prior treatment by phenol gangliolysis or balloon decompression might cause surrounding tissue damage, 16,[23][24][25] while radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has less than 1% of complication rate. [26][27][28] The initial remission rate of RFA was 85.3% to 97.7%, compared to 94% by pulsed radiofrequency (PRF), and after 5 y the RFA remission was 50.4% to 80.7%.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Single cycle, low temperature radiofrequency ablation is effective for trigeminal neuralgia

Budisulistyo¹,

Arlina²

2022

Anaesth. pain intensive care

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background & Objective: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is the most common cause of neuropathic pain with few issues regarding medications whereas surgeries need careful consideration. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) can be used as an intervention treatment bridging the gap of long-term medication and surgical intervention. RFA procedure has its own complications following electrode placement and ablation procedures. We analyzed the effectiveness of low temperature RFA treatment in patients with trigeminal neuralgia. Methodology: This study was a prospective analysis of the data from the medical records of 21 patients. A single cycle of RFA at 60° C of for 90 sec was performed from November 2018 to July 2019. Data collection included preoperative pain scores, analgesics prescribed, pain scores on numerical rating scale (NRS) for 6 months follow up. Results: The subjects 53.86 ± 10.48 y (43% men and 57% women) observed NRS decrease significantly (mean 2.15, SD 0.9; p < 0.05). No significant influence of analgesic combination gabapentin and Amitriptyline, or carbamazepine and Amitriptyline to pain spectrum improvement underwent RFA. Conclusion: A single cycle of of RFA treatment at 60° C for 90 sec among TN patients showed significant improvement of pain at 6 months without complications. Abbreviations: TN: trigeminal neuralgia; NMDA: N-methyl-d-aspartate GABA: gamma aminobutyric acid; TCA: tricyclic antidepressant; MVD: microvascular decompression; RFA: radiofrequency ablation; PRF: pulsed radiofrequency; NRS: numerical rating score; SNRI: serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor Citation: Budisulistyo T, Arlina Y. Single cycle, low temperature radiofrequency ablation for trigeminal neuralgia shows clinical improvement of pain. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2022;26(5):669-673. DOI: 10.35975/apic.v26i5.2024

show abstract

“…[7][8][9] Therefore, there has been a steep increase in alternative minimally invasive treatment options and surgical procedures to decrease headache pain. 5,[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] The goal of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in headache therapy is nerve deactivation, commonly applied at the occipital site. This technique was first introduced in 1974 to treat various pain syndromes and is now a common treatment option for patients with chronic pain, including migraine headaches involving the occiput.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…35 On average, the effects of RFA last for 28.4 ± 24 weeks, after which another procedure is scheduled. 11 Many patients experience positive outcomes after RFA treatment. 36 However, there have been reports about the risk of iatrogenic nerve damage from RFA treatment.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence-Based Patient Selection in Headache Surgery: The Impact of Preoperative RFA Treatment on Surgical Outcomes

Casari

Chartier

Gfrerer

et al. 2022

Plastic &Amp; Reconstructive Surgery

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of the greater occipital nerve (GON) is a minimally invasive treatment option commonly used in patients with occipital neuralgia. Patients who undergo occipital surgery for headaches after failed RFA treatment present a unique opportunity to evaluate RFA-treated occipital nerves and determine the impact on headache surgery outcomes. Methods: Of 115 patients who underwent headache surgery at the occipital site, 29 had a history of RFA treatment. Migraine Headache Index, Pain Self- Efficacy Questionnaire, and Pain Health Questionnaire-2 outcome scores were recorded preoperatively and at follow-up visits. Intraoperative macroscopic nerve damage and surgical outcomes were compared between RFA-treated and non–RFA-treated patients. Results: RFA-treated patients had a higher rate of macroscopic nerve damage (45%) than non–RFA-treated patients (24%) (P = 0.03), and they were significantly more likely to require a second operation at the site of primary decompression (27.6% versus 5.8%; P = 0.001) and GON transection (13.8% versus 3.5%; P = 0.04). Outcome scores at the last follow-up visit showed no statistically significant difference between RFA-treated and non–RFA-treated patients (P = 0.96). Conclusions: RFA-treated patients can ultimately achieve outcomes that are not significantly different from non–RFA-treated patients in occipital headache surgery. However, a higher number of secondary operations at the site of primary decompression and nerve transection are required to treat refractory symptoms. RFA-treated patients should be counseled about an increased risk of same-site surgery and possible GON transection to achieve acceptable outcomes. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, III.

show abstract

Radiofrequency Ablation for Treating Headache: a Follow-up Study

Cited by 12 publications

References 2 publications

Occipital Neuralgia

Occipital Neuralgia

Single cycle, low temperature radiofrequency ablation is effective for trigeminal neuralgia

Evidence-Based Patient Selection in Headache Surgery: The Impact of Preoperative RFA Treatment on Surgical Outcomes

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About