DOI: 10.36347/sajp.2020.v09i02.008

Pages: 95-98

Chemical denervation is not recommended as part of the routine care of chronic non-cancer pain. This study was performed to compare the effects of alcohol ablation (AA) with depomedrol injection (DI) in patients with recurrent lumbar facet joint pain. Methods: a hundred patients with recurrent lumbar facet joint pain defined as a numeric rating scale. Patients complaining of a backache origin were selected. Then, a test was done by implementing the 2ml 2% lidocaine as a diagnostic test to check if pain disappears. Then, when pain is confirmed due to lumbar cause, 50 patients (the first group) were given depomedrol 20 mg which is injected at each nerve level of the first group. While the second group (50 patients) was given 0.5 ml 50% alcohol at each nerve level. Both groups were followed at regular intervals for 2 years. The patients were evaluated in terms of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Revised Oswestry backache disability index (ODI). The results of our study show clearly that alcohol is more effective than depomedrol in lowering pain of lumbar origin. Conclusion: Alcohol is more effective in treatment of lumbar facet joint pain than corticosteroids and reduces the recurrence rate.