Journal of Pain Research (Nov 2022)

Facet Joint Syndrome: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment

  • Du R,
  • Xu G,
  • Bai X,
  • Li Z

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 15
pp. 3689 – 3710

Abstract

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Ruihuan Du,1 Gang Xu,1,2 Xujue Bai,1 Zhonghai Li1,2 1Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, People’s Republic of China; 2Key Laboratory of Molecular Mechanism for Repair and Remodeling of Orthopedic Diseases, Dalian, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Zhonghai Li, The Third Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, No. 5 Longbin Road, Development Zone, Dalian, 116011, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-18098876419, Fax +86-411-83635963, Email [email protected]: Facet joint osteoarthritis (OA) is the most frequent form of facet joint syndrome. Medical history, referred pain patterns, physical examination, and diagnostic imaging studies (standard radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography and single-photon emission computed tomography) may suggest but not confirm lumbar facet joint (LFJ) syndrome as a source of low back pain (LBP). However, the diagnosis and treatment of facet joint syndrome is still controversial and needs further study. It is widely acknowledged that block with local anesthetic is perhaps the most effective method to establish a diagnosis of pain from LFJ. Particularly, there are different rates of success among different populations selected for diagnostic block with various positive criteria. Currently, in addition to conservative treatments for pain such as painkillers, functional exercises, and massage, there are many other methods, including block, denervation of the nerves that innervate the joints by radiofrequency, freezing or endoscopy, and injections. Due to the limited duration of pain relief from neurolysis of medial branch, many scholars have recently turned their targets to dorsal roots and LFJ capsules. Therefore, we reviewed the latest research progress of facet joint syndrome from diagnosis to treatment.Keywords: low back pain, medial branch, block, radiofrequency, neurolysis

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