Minimally Invasive Spine & Pain Interventions
Radiofrequency Rhizotomy
Radiofrequency (RF) rhizotomy or neurotomy is a therapeutic procedure designed to decrease and/or eliminate pain symptoms arising from degenerative facet joints within the spine. The procedure involves destroying the nerves that innervate the facet joints with highly localized heat generated with radiofrequency. By destroying these nerves, the communication link that signals pain from the spine to the brain can be broken.
Radiofrequency Rhizotomy, is one of the newest pain control techniques.
In this nonsurgical procedure, radiofrequency waves are delivered to certain nerves, with the goal of interrupting pain signals to the brain. It typically targets pain from the facet joints, which can contribute to chronic pain in the neck or lower back, and the sacroiliac joints, which can contribute to chronic low back pain.
Facet joints are pairs of small joints located at each vertebral level of the spine. Each facet joint is connected to two medial branch nerves that carry signals, including pain signals, away from the joints to the spine and brain. The sacroiliac joints are located at the lowest part of the spine, between the sacrum and ilium in the pelvis, and are also connected to nerves that carry signals to other parts of the body.
