CT-guided high-voltage long-duration pulsed radiofrequency versus nerve block in the treatment of pudendal neuralgia:an analysis of efficacy / 介入放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of CT-guided high-voltage long-duration pulsed radiofrequency(PRF)with that of pudendal nerve block(NB)in the treatment of pudendal neuralgia(PN).Methods A total of 91 patients with confirmed PN were enrolled in this study.The patients were randomly divided into PRF group and NB group.The patients of the PRF group received CT-guided high-voltage long-duration PRF of the pudendal nerve,and the patients of the NB group received CT-guided pudendal nerve block.The visual analogue scale(VAS)score of pain,the time of keeping a sitting position,and the PHQ9-score were determined separately at one day,2 weeks,one month,3 months,and 6 months after treatment,and all procedure-related complications were recorded.Results A 6-month follow-up was accomplished in 87 patients,including 45 in the PRF group and 42 in the NB group.On the first day after operation,the VAS scores became significantly lower in both groups as compared with the preoperative VAS scores(P＜0.01),and the VAS score in the NB group was strikingly lower than that in the PRF group(P=0.039).The postoperative one-month,3-month and 6-month VAS scores in the PRF group were remarkably lower than those in the NB group(P＜0.05).The time of keeping a sitting position and PHQ9-scores at 3 months and 6 months after treatment in the PRF group were obviously better than those in the NB group(P＜0.01).No procedure-related serious adverse reactions were observed in both groups.Conclusion CT-guided high-voltage long-duration PRF is superior to NB in more effectively relieving pain,prolonging the time of keeping a sitting position,and improving the depressed status of the patients with PN.(J Intervent Radiol,2023,321216-1220)