Comprising the effects of radiofrequency regulation combined with adriamycin lysis and radiofrequency thermocoagulation in dorsal root ganglion for the treatment of thoracic postherpetic neuralgia

Objective To investigate the clinical effects between radiofrequency regulation combined with adriamycin lysis and radiofrequency thermocoagulation in dorsal root ganglionin (DRG) on the treatment of patients with thoracic postherpetic neuralgia. Methods Forty-six patients with postherpetic neuralgia on thoracic and dorsal region in department of Pain Medicine of Shanxi Dayi Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences from January 2017 to January 2018, were collected in this study. All patients were divided into radiofrequency combined with adriamycin group (group RA, n=23) and radiofrequency group (group RF, n=23) according to the randomized control grouping method. Patients were received local injection of 0.66% adriamycin after treatment with DRG pulsed radiofrequency in group RA, and radiofrequency thermocoagulation in group RF. Patients were followed up for 6 months. Visual analogue scale (VAS), daily pain episodes, duration of each episode and supplementary use of analgesics before and after the treatment were compared between the two groups. Quality of life, excellent effect, total effective rate and adverse reactions were also compared. Results Compared with pretreatment, VAS and number of daily pain episodes were decreased, duration of each episode was shortened, supplementary use of analgesics decreased and quality of life improved in the two groups after the treatment (all P<0.05). Compared with group RF, VAS and number of daily pain episodes were even decreased, the duration of each episode even shortened, the supplementary use of analgesics even decreased, the quality of life, excellent effect even increased in group RA at the same time after the treatment (all P<0.05). No serious adverse reactions were found in both groups. Conclusion CT-guided DRG pulse radiofrequency regulation combined with adriamycin lysis and radiofrequency thermocoagulation can both effectively relieve thoracic postherpetic neuralgia, but the former has a better effect and the patients' quality of life improved more significantly. Key words: Neuralgia, postherpetic; Ganglion, spine; Catheter ablation; Doxorubicin