Treatment of Occipital Neuralgia by Thermal Radiofrequency Ablation

Hoffman, Lance; Abd‐Elsayed, Alaa; Burroughs, Tim J.; Sachdeva, Harsh

doi:10.31486/toj.17.0104

Cited by 19 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 19 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Radiofrequency ablation has recently been proven as an alternative treatment strategy for occipital neuralgia, a disorder characterized by paroxysmal stabbing and shooting pains in the GON distribution, in addition to cervicogenic headaches [10] . Pulsed radiofrequency ablation, a temporary, non-destructive strategy, has shown promising effects in several studies [5] .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This allows for decreased local thermal injury and post procedural inflammation, but shorter lasting effects [11] . Continuous thermal radiofrequency ablation has also been proposed with the goal of longer lasting relief and has demonstrated statistically significant reduction in pain scores, with a wide variability in duration of symptom relief [10] . The most frequent side effects of ablative procedures are numbness and dysesthesias.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Refractory occipital scalp pruritus treated with computed tomography-guided greater occipital nerve ablation

Rosenthal

AuYong

Swerlick

et al. 2022

Radiology Case Reports

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Greater occipital nerve blocks and thermal ablations have been widely discussed as an efficacious treatment strategy for multiple difficult to treat conditions, including occipital neuralgia, migraines, and cervicogenic headaches. Nerve blocks have also recently been presented as a method of treating neuropathic itch in the upper extremities, where pruritus occurs without visible dermatologic manifestations. We report a case of refractory occipital scalp pruritus in a patient who had excellent although time-limited response to greater occipital nerve blocks but achieved durable symptom control with CT-guided greater occipital nerve ablation.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Refractory occipital scalp pruritus treated with computed tomography-guided greater occipital nerve ablation

Rosenthal

AuYong

Swerlick

et al. 2022

Radiology Case Reports

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A retrospective study of 46 patients who underwent thermal RF ablation of the GON and LON found significant reductions in pain scores (6.7 vs 2.7, respectively; P < 0.001) with the mean patient-defined percent pain relief of 76.3% ± 25.0%. The length of relief was 6.5 ± 5.1 months [36]. However, RF ablation is not without risks as focal tissue destruction can result in deafferentation pain syndrome [37].…”

Section: Radiofrequency Ablation and Cryoneurolysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Occipital Neuralgia

Pan

Peng

Elmofty

2021

Curr Pain Headache Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose of Review Occipital neuralgia is a painful condition that affects the posterior aspect of the head and can be difficult to distinguish from other common forms of headaches. This article reviews the anatomy, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, diagnostic testing, and management approaches for occipital neuralgia. Recent Findings Non-pharmacological treatments aim to alleviate muscle tension and improve posture. Acupuncture shows some promise. The occipital nerve block is considered the first line in a minimally invasive intervention, but the duration of relief may be short term. An onabotulinum toxin A injection may improve the sharp but not the dull component of the pain of occipital neuralgia. Radiofrequency ablation and occipital nerve stimulation may provide effective long-term relief in refractory patients. Surgical decompression, neurotomies, and neurolysis are last-resort treatment options. Summary Occipital neuralgia is a debilitating condition that can be difficult to treat. Studies with larger sample sizes and randomized control trials are needed to further determine the effectiveness and safety of different therapies.

show abstract

“…TRF is then carried out at 80°C for 180 s in lesion mode. In a retrospective study, Hoffman et al analyzed pain reduction in 39 patients treated for occipital neuralgia with TRF using the visual analog scale (VAS) [45]. There was a significant difference in preprocedure pain score (6.7) and 1-month post procedure (2.7) with a mean pain reduction of 4.0 ± 3.3.…”

Section: Thermal Radiofrequency Ablationmentioning

confidence: 99%