Clinical Effects of Fluoroscopy Guided Interventional Microadhesiolysis and Nerve Stimulation (FIMS) on Cervical Zygapophyseal Joints in Patients with Chronic Cervical Radicular Pain

Abstract

Background: Cervical radicular pain can arise fromvarious structures, including spinal nerves, discs, zygapophyseal joints, ligaments, and myofascial connective tissue. However, no adequate experiments have been found regarding methods for the microadhesiolysis of adhesional connective tissue around the zygapophyseal joints and nerves. The first objective of this study was to ascertain the effect of fluoroscopy guided interventional microadhesiolysis and nerve stimulation (FIMS) on chronic cervical radicular pain caused by zygapophyseal joint dysfunction. The second objective was to identify the duration of pain alleviation, as well as commonly occurring regions for zygapophyseal joint dysfunction. Methods: Twenty-eight patients were diagnosed with cervical radicular pain. The cervical zygapophyseal joints and adhesional structures around the cervical zygapophyseal joints were stimulated by adhesiolysis with a rounded needle; the procedure was performed once every second week. A visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain and neck range of motion (ROM) were used as indices for evaluating the degree of pain 1 and 3 months after completion of the procedures. A relief effect of FIMS was accepted when the VAS index decreased 50% compared with a previous VAS, and when there was absence of limitation of ROM. Results: Among the patients, 52% showed zygapophyseal joint dysfunction in C5-6, 38% in C4-5, 7% in C2-3, and 3% in C6-7. After performing FIMS, the VAS index decreased in most of the patients after 1 and 3 months (92.8% and 75%, respectively), and treatment frequency was 2.7 ± 1.2. There was no correlation between the number of FIMS procedures and the degree of VAS. Conclusions: FIMS is considered an effective modality in patients suffering from cervical radicular pain. (Korean J Pain 2007; 20: 31-39)