Advances in facet rhizotomy university of arkansas medical center?

considering lumbar facet rhizotomy. excellent results so far from thoracic procedure done in June this year.Advances in facet rhizotomy university of arkansas medical center?
joint facet rhyzotomy, is as old as spine surgery itself.

It has been practiced by very many of us, since the years 70s, and the results have been rather dissapointing, in even well selected patients.

Radiofrequency with a 6 channel console (Radionics) has been used to elevate the temperature of the innervation of the facets that join one vertebral body (recurrent dorsal nerve of Luschka coagulation), with the next lower one..(vertebra)

There is nothing new, and the index of recurrences of pain with flexion and extension of the upper body, is as high as 45% in the next 8 months of the introdiction of insulated teflon electrodes, with the tip heated at 75-80 centigrades, for 2 to 2 and a half minutes.....

In the Arkansas University proigram, a guided intensifier radioscope has been added, to increase the precision of the coagulation target,,,,

Our statistics (mine and my 3 colleagues) comprises 11 years of practice with statistics of 312 cases, well selected.

Its far from being a definite procedure, and open surgery of the spinal dorsal (thoracic spine) has been needed in 144 cases, because of failure even wity the most accurate and sophisticated equipment...

It has been used more frequently to denervate lumbar facets because they are more approachable, with the same results..

I wish good luck to the Arkansas team, for we have been using ths very same method for 30 years, and results dont change, even with the new methods,,,,,,,,

Here in Europe, the procedure is as old as the big flood....