Microsoft word - radiofrequencylesionining.doc

Radiofrequency Lesioning

1. What is Radiofrequency?
Radiofrequency waves are electromagnetic waves which travel at the speed of light, or 186,000 miles
per second (300,000 km/s). Radiofrequency Energy is a type of heat energy that is created by a special
generator at very high or super high frequencies. With the use of this specialized generator, heat energy
is created and delivered with precision to target nerves that carry pain impulses. The resulting “lesion”
involves a spherical area of tissue destruction at the tip of the RF needle that can include pain-carrying
nerves.
2. Why is this procedure done?
Radiofrequency lesioning is a procedure used to provide longer term pain relief than that provided by
simple injections or nerve blocks. Many patients who are being considered for this procedure have
already undergone simple injection techniques like Epidural Steroid Injection, Facet Joint Injection,
Sympathetic Nerve Blocks, or other nerve blocks with pain relief that is less prolonged than desired. By
selectively destroying nerves that carry pain impulses, the painful structure can be effectively
denervated and the pain reduced or eliminated for anywhere from a few months to up to 12 months.

3. How is this procedure done?
Once a structure has been determined to be a pain generator, its nerve supply is targeted for interruption.
A small insulated needle or RF cannula is positioned next to these nerves with fluoroscopic guidance
(live video X-Ray). Your doctor knows where to place the RF cannula because he is an expert in
anatomy. The shaft of this cannula except for the last 5 to 10 mm is covered with a protective insulation
so that the electric current only passes into the surrounding tissues from the very tip of the cannula.
When the cannula appears to be in good position, the doctor may perform a test and release a small
amount of electric current through the needle tip at two different frequencies. This test helps to confirm
that the cannula tip is in close proximity to the target nerve and that it is not near any other nerve. After
a successful test confirms good cannula tip position, a local anesthetic is injected to numb the area. The
RF generator is then used to heat the cannula tip for up to 90 seconds, and thus the target nerve is
destroyed.

4. What types of conditions will respond to Radiofrequency Lesioning?
There are a multitude of chronic pain conditions that respond well to this treatment. Chronic spinal
pain, including spinal arthritis (spondylosis), post-traumatic pain (whiplash), pain after spine surgery,
and other spinal pain conditions are those most commonly treated with RFL. Other conditions that are
known to respond well to RFL include some neuropathic pain conditions like Complex Regional Pain
Syndrome (CRPS or RSD), peripheral nerve entrapment syndromes, and other assorted chronic pain
conditions. A patient’s candidacy for RFL is usually determined by the performance of a Diagnostic
Nerve Block. This procedure will help to confirm whether a patient’s pain improves just for the duration
of the local anesthetic (or not). Patients who have little to no pain relief after a diagnostic nerve block
are not candidates for a neurodestructive procedure like RF Lesioning.

5. Does the procedure hurt?
This procedure is no more painful than any other injection procedure that is performed in interventional
pain management. Patients are often given mild intravenous sedation during the procedure, but sedation
is not absolutely required. Deep sedation is not a safe alternative and is therefore not offered for my RF
procedures. It is quite common for neck or back pain to increase for a few days or longer after the RFL
procedure before it starts to improve.

6. What should I do to prepare for my procedure?
On the day of your injection, you should not have anything to eat or drink for at least four (4) hours
before your scheduled procedure. If you are scheduled to receive sedation during the procedure,
you must have someone available to drive you home. If you usually take medication for high blood
pressure or any kind of heart condition, it is very important that you take this medication at the usual
time with a sip of water before your procedure.
If you are taking any type of medication that can thin the blood and cause excessive bleeding, you
should discuss with your doctors whether to discontinue this medication prior to the procedure. These
anticoagulant meds are usually prescribed to protect a patient against stroke, heart attack, or other
vascular occlusion event. Therefore the decision to discontinue one of these medications is not made by
the pain management physician but rather by the primary care or specialty physician (cardiologist) who
prescribes and manages that medication. Examples of medications that could promote surgical bleeding
include Coumadin, Plavix, Aggrenox, Pletal, Ticlid, and Lovenox.
7. What should I do after my procedure?
Following discharge home, you should plan on simple rest and relaxation. If you have pain at the needle
puncture sites, application of an ice pack to this area should be helpful. If you receive intravenous
sedation, you should not drive a car until the next day. Patients are generally advised to go home and
not return to work after this type of procedure. Some patients do return to work the next day.
8. Could there be side effects or complications?
Dr. Siegel will discuss these issues with you, and you will be asked to carefully read and sign a consent
form before any procedure is performed.
9. Can this procedure be repeated if my pain returns?
It is possible for the treated nerve(s) to regenerate, which could lead to recurrent pain. However, RF
Lesioning is repeatable for nerve regeneration if it worked the first time around.

Source: http://www.painfree.com/Procedures/RadiofrequencyLesionining.pdf