Abstract:Objective To explore the short-term and long-term effects of ultrasound-guided cervical nerve root pulse radiofrequency surgery in the treatment of herpes zoster neuralgia in the upper extremity, and to compare it with C-arm fluoroscopy guided surgery. Methods A prospective, randomized, controlled study was conducted in 73 patients with neuralgia due to herpes zoster of the upper extremity who were admitted to the National Pain Management and Research Center, China-Japan Friendship Hospital. They were divided into ultrasound guidance group (n=36) and fluoroscopic guidance group (n=37). The target nerve roots accepted pulse radiofrequency therapy at 42 °C, 360s. . Main outcome measures: NRS at 1 day, 2, 4, 12 and 24 weeks after operation were recorded. The secondary end points were the use of analgesics and calcium channel antagonists. Results The NRS pain score decreased to 4.0 and 5.4 in ultrasound group and fluoroscopy group, P < 0.01; 3.4 and 4.6 in 2 weeks, P < 0.05; 3.0 and 3.9 in 4 weeks, P < 0.05. On the first day after operation, 8 cases in ultrasound group and 3 cases in fluoroscopy group stopped using analgesics (P < 0.05). The average operation time of ultrasound group was 30 minutes, significantly lower than that of fluoroscopy group (P < 0.01) .Conclusion The short-term analgesic effect of ultrasound group was better than that of fluoroscopy group, the long-term effect was similar, and the operation time was significantly shorten.
