Determining the Most Suitable Ultrasound-Guided Injection Technique in Treating Lumbar Facet Joint Syndrome.

Abstract

(1) Background: Lower back pain is often caused by lumbar facet joint syndrome. This study investigated the effectiveness of three different injection methods under ultrasound guidance in treating elderly patients with lumbar facet joint syndrome. The difficulty in performing these injections was also evaluated; (2) Methods: A total of 60 elderly patients with facet joint syndrome as the cause of lower back pain were recruited and divided into 3 groups. Group 1 received medial branch block (MBB). Group 2 received intra-articular facet joint injections. Group 3 received injection into the multifidus muscle portion that covers the facet joint. Five percent dextrose water (D5W) was used as the injectant. The visual analog scale (VAS) was used to measure the degree of lower back pain; (3) Results: Before the injection treatments, the VAS score averaged about 7.5. After three consecutive injection treatments (two weeks interval), the VAS score decreased significantly to an average of about 1 in all 3 groups, representing mild to no pain. Between group analyses also did not reveal significant statistical differences, suggesting that these procedures are equally effective; (4) Conclusions: Ultrasound-guided injection of the multifidus muscle may be a feasible option in treating elderly patients with lower back pain caused by facet joint syndrome as it is easier to perform as compared to MBB and intra-articular facet joint injection.