Skip to main content
Log in

Abstract

Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF), a technology related to continuous radiofrequency, is unique in that it provides pain relief without causing significant damage to nervous tissue. The mechanism by which PRF controls pain is unclear, but it may involve a temperature-independent pathway mediated by a rapidly changing electrical field. Although much anecdotal evidence exists in favor of PRF, there are few quality studies substantiating its utility.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References and Recommended Reading

  1. Uematsu S, Udrarhelyi GB, Benson DW, et al.: Percutaneous radiofrequency rhizotomy. Surg Neurol 1974, 2:319–325.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ahadian FM: Pulsed radiofrequency neurotomy: advances in pain medicine. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2004, 8:34–40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Guerts JWM, van Wijk RM, Wynne HJ, et al.: Radiofrequency lesioning of dorsal root ganglia for chronic lumbosacral radicular pain: a randomised, double blind, controlled study. Lancet 2003, 361:21–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. van Kleef M, Spaans F: The effects of producing a radiofrequency lesion adjacent to the dorsal root ganglion in patients with thoracic segmental pain by radiofrequency percutaneous partial rhizotomy. Clin J Pain 1995, 11:325–332.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. van Suijlekom JA, van Kleef M, Barendse G: Radiofrequency cervical zygapophyseal joint neurotomy for cervicogenic headache. A prospective study in 15 patients. Funct Neurol 1998, 13:297–303.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Sluijter ME: Pulsed radiofrequency. Anesthesiology 2005, 103:1313–1314.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Cosman ER: A comment on the history of the pulsed radiofrequency technique for pain therapy. Anesthesiology 2005, 103:1312–1314.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Sluijter ME, Cosman E, Rittman W, et al.: The effect of pulsed radiofrequency fields applied to the dorsal root ganglion. Pain Clin 1998, 11:109–117.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Cosman ER Jr, Cosman ER Sr: Electric and thermal field effects in tissue around radiofrequency electrodes. Pain Med 2005, 6:405–424.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Heavner JE, Boswell MV, Racz GB: A comparison of pulsed radiofrequency and continuous radiofrequency on thermocoagulation of egg white in vitro. Pain Physician 2006, 9:135–137.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Podhajsky RJ, Sekiguchi Y, Kikuchi S, et al.: The histologic effects of pulsed and continuous radiofrequency lesions at 42 degrees C to rat dorsal root ganglion and sciatic nerve. Spine 2005, 30:1008–1013.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Erdine S, Yucel A, Cimen A, et al.: Effects of pulsed versus conventional radiofrequency current on rabbit dorsal root ganglion morphology. Eur J Pain 2005, 9:251–256.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. van Zundert J, de Louw AJ, Joosten EA, et al.: Pulsed and continuous radiofrequency current adjacent to the cervical dorsal root ganglion of the rat induces late cellular activity in the dorsal horn. Anesthesiology 2005, 102:125–131.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Higuchi Y, Nashold BS, Sluijter M, et al.: Exposure of the dorsal root ganglion in rats to pulsed radiofrequency currents activates dorsal horn lamina I and II neurons. Neurosurgery 2002, 50:850–855.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Richebe P, Rathmell JP, Brennan TJ: Immediate early genes after pulsed radiofrequency treatment: neurobiology in need of clinical trials. Anesthesiology 2005, 102:1–3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Hamann W, Abou-Sherif S, Thompson S, et al.: Pulsed radiofrequency applied to dorsal root ganglia causes a selective increase in ATF3 in small neurons. Eur J Pain 2006, 10:171–176.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Mikeladze G, Espinal R, Finnegan R, et al.: Pulsed radiofrequency application in treatment of chronic zygapophyseal joint pain. Spine J 2003, 3:360–362.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Lindner R, Sluijter ME, Schleinzer W: Pulsed radiofrequency treatment of the lumbar medial branch for facet pain: a retrospective analysis. Pain Med 2006, 7:435–439.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Tekin I, Mirzai H, Ok G, et al.: A comparison of conventional and pulsed radiofrequency denervation in the treatment of chronic facet joint pain. Clin J Pain 2007, 23:524–529.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Teixeira A, Sluijter ME: Intradiscal high-voltage, long-duration pulsed radiofrequency for discogenic pain: a preliminary report. Pain Med 2006, 7:424–428.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. van Zundert J, Patijn J, Kessels A, et al.: Pulsed radiofrequency adjacent to the cervical dorsal root ganglion in chronic cervical radicular pain: a double blind sham controlled randomized clinical trial. Pain 2007, 127:173–182.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. van Zundert J, Brabant S, van de Kelft E, et al.: Pulsed radiofrequency treatment of the Gasserian ganglion in patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia. Pain 2003, 104:449–452.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Navani A, Mahajan G, Kreis P, et al.: A case of pulsed radiofrequency lesioning for occipital neuralgia. Pain Med 2006, 7:453–456.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Rozen D, Ahn J: Pulsed radiofrequency for the treatment of ilioinguinal neuralgia after inguinal herniorrhaphy. Mt Sinai J Med 2006, 73:716–718.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Martin DC: Pulsed radiofrequency application for inguinal herniorraphy pain. Pain Physician 2006, 9:271.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Cohen SP, Foster A: Pulsed radiofrequency as a treatment for groin pain and orchialgia. Urology 2003, 61:645.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Vallejo R, Benyamin RM, Kramer J, et al.: Pulsed radiofrequency denervation for the treatment of sacroiliac joint syndrome. Pain Med 2006, 7:429–434.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Shah RV, Racz GB: Pulsed mode radiofrequency lesioning of the suprascapular nerve for the treatment of chronic shoulder pain. Pain Physician 2003, 6:503–506.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Cohen SP, Sireci A, Wu CL, et al.: Pulsed radiofrequency of the dorsal root ganglia is superior to pharmacotherapy or pulsed radiofrequency of the intercostal nerves in the treatment of chronic postsurgical thoracic pain. Pain Physician 2006, 9:227–235.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Shabat S, Pevsner Y, Folman Y, et al.: Pulsed radiofrequency in the treatment of patients with chronic neuropathic spinal pain. Minim Invasive Neurosurg 2006, 49:147–149.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Bogduk N: Pulsed radiofrequency. Pain Med 2006, 7:396–407.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Gallagher RM: Pulsed radiofrequency treatment: what is the evidence of its effectiveness and should it be used in clinical practice? Pain Med 2006, 7:408–410.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Cahana A, Van Zundert J, Macrea L, et al.: Pulsed radiofrequency: current clinical and biological literature available. Pain Med 2006, 7:411–423.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Cahana A: Pulsed radiofrequency: a neurobiologic and clinical reality. Anesthesiology 2005, 103:1311, 1313–1314.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Jensen TS: Pulsed radiofrequency: a novel treatment for chronic cervical radicular pain? Pain 2007, 127:3–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sean Mackey.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Byrd, D., Mackey, S. Pulsed radiofrequency for chronic pain. Current Science Inc 12, 37–41 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-008-0008-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-008-0008-3

Keywords

Navigation