Abstract
Pulsed Radiofrequency (PRF) is a relatively new use of an older procedure, conventional thermal radiofrequency. Because PRF is reputed to be nondestructive to neural tissue, it has created a lot of interest in the pain management community. Its effect seems to occur as a result of the electrical field generated by radiofrequency current, rather than relying on thermal injury to nervous tissue, which allows for new applications in areas in which tissue heating would be contraindicated.1 - 3 For example, heating of the dorsal root ganglion has been associated with hyperalgesia, allodynia, dysesthesias, and deafferentation pain.3 Without the requirement to heat the dorsal root ganglion, the procedure can be applied for a wide range of uses with very minimal or no side effects. The list of uses for this valuable procedure (PRF lesioning) has grown in recent years to include acute and chronic radiculopathies, complex regional pain syndrome, shingles/post herpetic neuralgia pain, and post mastectomy/sternotomy pain, to name a few.3 Another application of PRF that would be contraindicated with conventional RF is in the treatment of peripheral neuropathies. This chapter will elucidate the use of PRF for the treatment of lumbar radicular pain in detail, and then give a brief explanation of the uses of PRF for peripheral neuropathies.
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