Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is highly prevalent and may be caused by
arthritic changes in the lumbar facet joints. Percutaneous lumbar facet rhizolysis with
radiofrequency (RF) has emerged as a minimally invasive procedure for the
management of CLBP originating from the lumbar facet joints by selectively disrupting
the medial and lateral branches of the dorsal branch of the sinuvertebral nerves
transmitting pain signals from the facet joints to the nervous system. The authors
employ a modern RF probe inserted percutaneously near the affected facet joint during
the fluoroscopically guided procedure. Once the cannula is positioned correctly, RF
energy is delivered, generating localized heat and creating a thermal lesion on the
medial branch nerves supplying the facet joint. This selective thermal lesioning
disrupts the pain transmission pathway without affecting motor function, thus
providing pain relief for an extended period. The RF technology employed by the
authors is based on Elliquence low-frequency technology and is known to cause little
tissue damage beyond the target area. The authors present the clinical results with their
extended clinical cohort. This procedure can be performed outpatient, requiring
minimal sedation and quicker recovery than traditional surgical approaches. This
chapter aims to illustrate the efficacy of percutaneous lumbar facet rhizolysis with the
Elliquence RF Dart probe in the management of CLBP by comparatively analyzing the
existing clinical evidence regarding long-lasting pain reduction, improved function, and
overall patient satisfaction.
Keywords: Percutaneous, Lumbar facet, Rhizolysis, Chronic low back pain, Pain management strategies.
