Interventional Pain Management

Facet joints are small synovial joint connecting the posterior aspects of the vertebrae. Inflammation of these joints or abnormal stress on them can lead to facet joint pain. There are back or neck pain with radiation, but no radicular symptoms. Pain typically worsens on extension. Facet pain syndrome often co-exists with disc pathologies [3]. These joints are supplied by medial branches of adjacent spinal segments. Diagnostic blocks are performed by injection of the joints or the medial branches under fluoroscopy. Joint injections can be supplemented by local steroids. Longer term effect is achieved by radiofrequency lesioning of the medial branches [4,5] (Fig.1).

Fig. 1a  Radiofrequency denervation of C2/C3 facet joint

Fig. 1b  Radiofrequency ablation of lower cervical medical branches

Sacroiliac joint pain presents with back pain, usually to the side of lesion, with radiation to the groin or the knee. Bilateral joint involvement may present as central back pain. Interventional treatment approach is similar to facet joint pain [6,7]. More recently developed Cooled Radiofrequency technique produces more consistent lesions for the multiple sacral nerves [8].

Radiculopathy presents with back or neck pain with radiation. Lesions in the lumbar levels produce the familiar ‘sciatica’ symptoms, whereas cervical lesions cause pain radiating to the shoulder or upper limb. Radicular pain may be caused by pressure or irritation of the nerve roots by degenerated intervertebral discs. Nerve impingement may also be caused by spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis or failed back surgery syndrome. Injection of steroids into the epidural space may help these patients. The approaches may be translaminar, transforaminal or caudal [9,10] (Fig. 2). If multiple levels involvement is suspected or for resistant cases, a specially designed Racz catheter can be introduced from the sacral hiatus to define the levels of nerve impingement on epidurogram [11]. Hydrodissection is performed and steroid is deposited [12] (Fig. 3).

Fig. 2  Epidural lysis of adhesions

Fig. 3  Cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injection

Implantable intrathecal drug delivery systems are available for delivery of medications such as opioids or baclofen into the subarachnoid space directly. This may be of use for some very selected patients [16].

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