Treatment of L1 neuralgia following traumatic spineinjury and vertebroplasty successfully treated by pulsedradiofrequency of the dorsal root ganglion case report

Abstract

This article describes the use of L1 pulsed radiofrequency of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG-PRF) in a 42-year oldwoman with neuropathic pain of L1 root as a complication following L1 vertebroplasty (car accident). Immediatelyafter vertebroplasty, the patient started to feel L1 neuropathic pain. Despite using therapeutic drugs in doses appliedin the treatment of neuropathic pain, pain control was not achieved NRS (numerical rating scale) 810. The DRG-PRF(42C for 120 sec) was performed resulting in pain relief and reducing by half the doses of used drugs for a period ofabout 6 weeks. The DRG-PRF procedure was repeated with extending stimulation time to 3 5 min which resultedin pain relief and discontinuation of drugs. Pain relief lasted for 7 months. The pain relapsed, so the patient wasscheduled for repeated DRG-PRF.