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.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References and Recommended Reading
Uematsu S, Udrarhelyi GB, Benson DW, et al.: Percutaneous radiofrequency rhizotomy. Surg Neurol 1974, 2:319–325.
Ahadian FM: Pulsed radiofrequency neurotomy: advances in pain medicine. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2004, 8:34–40.
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.
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.
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.
Sluijter ME: Pulsed radiofrequency. Anesthesiology 2005, 103:1313–1314.
Cosman ER: A comment on the history of the pulsed radiofrequency technique for pain therapy. Anesthesiology 2005, 103:1312–1314.
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.
Cosman ER Jr, Cosman ER Sr: Electric and thermal field effects in tissue around radiofrequency electrodes. Pain Med 2005, 6:405–424.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Richebe P, Rathmell JP, Brennan TJ: Immediate early genes after pulsed radiofrequency treatment: neurobiology in need of clinical trials. Anesthesiology 2005, 102:1–3.
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.
Mikeladze G, Espinal R, Finnegan R, et al.: Pulsed radiofrequency application in treatment of chronic zygapophyseal joint pain. Spine J 2003, 3:360–362.
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.
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.
Teixeira A, Sluijter ME: Intradiscal high-voltage, long-duration pulsed radiofrequency for discogenic pain: a preliminary report. Pain Med 2006, 7:424–428.
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.
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.
Navani A, Mahajan G, Kreis P, et al.: A case of pulsed radiofrequency lesioning for occipital neuralgia. Pain Med 2006, 7:453–456.
Rozen D, Ahn J: Pulsed radiofrequency for the treatment of ilioinguinal neuralgia after inguinal herniorrhaphy. Mt Sinai J Med 2006, 73:716–718.
Martin DC: Pulsed radiofrequency application for inguinal herniorraphy pain. Pain Physician 2006, 9:271.
Cohen SP, Foster A: Pulsed radiofrequency as a treatment for groin pain and orchialgia. Urology 2003, 61:645.
Vallejo R, Benyamin RM, Kramer J, et al.: Pulsed radiofrequency denervation for the treatment of sacroiliac joint syndrome. Pain Med 2006, 7:429–434.
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.
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.
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.
Bogduk N: Pulsed radiofrequency. Pain Med 2006, 7:396–407.
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.
Cahana A, Van Zundert J, Macrea L, et al.: Pulsed radiofrequency: current clinical and biological literature available. Pain Med 2006, 7:411–423.
Cahana A: Pulsed radiofrequency: a neurobiologic and clinical reality. Anesthesiology 2005, 103:1311, 1313–1314.
Jensen TS: Pulsed radiofrequency: a novel treatment for chronic cervical radicular pain? Pain 2007, 127:3–4.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights 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
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-008-0008-3