Abstract:
Objective To evaluate the clinical effects of selective percutaneous dorsal root ganglion radiofrequency combined with Duragesic on pain relief, quality of life, and consumption of analgesics of patients suffering from neuralgia that resulted from osseous metastasis in thoracic spine.
Methods The study involved 86 patients with neuralgia from osseous metastasis in thoracic spine. The analgesics used in all patients were replaced by Duragesic half a month before their surgery. The patients, including those who still suffered persistent pain (numeric rating scale (NRS)>4) and those who rejected the use of opioid analgesics because of their severe adverse effects, had poor quality of life or required minimal invasive treatment. Radiofrequency thermo-coagulation for percutaneous dorsal root ganglion of thoracic segments was conducted with CT scan guidance. NRS of pain relief, consumption of opioid analgesics, and related complications were obtained.
Results Pain relief was observed in all patients after dorsal root ganglion radiofrequency. The rate of pain relief was 96.5%, 91.9% and 89.5% on the 1st, 7th, and 30th day after the treatment, respectively. The consumption of Duragesic significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The index scores of appetite, sleeping, and mood, collectively addressed as the quality of life, as well as the health indices of SF-36, increased after treatment. Intra-spinal hemorrhage, pneumo-thorax or dyspnea, and other serious complications did not occur in this study.
Conclusion Selective percutaneous dorsal root ganglion radiofrequency combined with Duragesic can effectively relieve the neuralgia of osseous metastasis in thoracic spine and can improve the quality of life of the patients. The treatment is safe, practical, and worthy of clinical popularization and application.