Heat generated by radio waves can help destroy cancer cells during Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA), offering you the chance to rid yourself of primary cancer, control its progression or manage symptoms at a dedicated center.
Overall, radiofrequency treatments appear more effective than control treatments when it comes to both pain relief (VAS and NRS scores) and function (WOMAC and Oxford knee scale scores). Unfortunately, however, quality studies are scarce.
What is radiofrequency ablation?
Radiofrequency ablation heats sensory/pain-producing nerves to temporarily stop them from transmitting pain signals to your brain, thus relieving chronic back and neck pain. As it’s minimally invasive, you can return to normal activities soon after treatment has concluded.
Your doctor will begin by administering a local anesthetic injection near the source of your discomfort to confirm it as the ideal target for RFA. After this procedure, there may be temporary soreness at the injection site that subsides quickly; to speed healing even faster we also advise applying ice for 20 minutes several times each day to the area for 20 minutes, helping reduce inflammation and speed healing.
Facet RFA (or Rhizotomy), will utilize X-ray guidance to direct a needle along nerves transmitting pain signals into your brain. Once in position, they use electrical current stimulation to stimulate nerves; if pain or muscle twitch are felt upon stimulation then that indicates success and radiofrequency energy will be applied directly to them.
Facet joints can be found throughout your spine in pairs and allow for the twisting and bending of your back. They’re connected to two small nerves called medial branch nerves which send pain signals directly to the brain when present; when one is treated it reduces the number of pain signals coming through from facet joints.
Radiofrequency ablation can also be used to treat benign liver tumors when surgery isn’t an option. Your doctor will use imaging scans such as computerized tomography (CT), ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to pinpoint where in the liver they should place a needle for radiofrequency ablation treatment – once placed they will use radiofrequency ablation to temporarily injure nerves causing symptoms such as heaviness or numbness before using radiofrequency ablation to injure them with radiowaves causing radiofrequency waves to induce radiowaves onto those nerves for treating them causing these symptoms resulting in slightly injured nerves causing symptoms such as heaviness or numbness caused by these symptoms being damaged with radiofrequency ablation treatment causing them symptomatically injured nerves using computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scans scans as imaging systems to pinpoint their precise locations before performing radiofrequency ablation on them using computerized tomography CT scans or ultrasound/MRI scans to pinpoint precisely where to place needle insertion before performing radiofrequency ablation treatment on it causing these symptoms such as heaviness or numbness or both symptoms related to its related nerve damage, slight damaging it by radiofrequency ablation treatment using radiofrequency ablation to slight injury the nerve causing symptoms such as heaviness or numbness caused by radio frequency ablation on nerve damage caused by this procedure /numbness procedure on nerve.
Barrett’s Esophagus can lead to symptoms including heartburn, regurgitation and chest pain. This condition occurs when stomach acid damages the esophageal lining causing cells to transition from esophageal cells into intestinal ones causing arrhythmia (fluttering or irregular heartbeat) in those suffering with Barrett’s Esophagus. Radiofrequency ablation may help eliminate abnormal electrical pathways responsible for arrhythmia (fluttering or irregular heartbeat) for those living with this disorder.
How is radiofrequency ablation performed?
Radiofrequency ablation is typically performed as a minimally invasive procedure, through small incisions in your skin, which reduces risk and discomfort while shortening hospital stay and recovery time. Before your procedure, a pain specialist will conduct a detailed evaluation to determine if you qualify as a good candidate for radiofrequency ablation.
Your pain doctor will start the ablation procedure by injecting local anesthetic into the area where they will perform it. They then use X-ray guidance to position a needle along nerves targeted for ablation; this will ensure it hits at just the right spot to reduce discomfort. Once in place, small amounts of electricity will pass through it to verify its correct location – this usually feels painless but some patients may experience brief sensations of pressure or muscle twitch before becoming fully pain-free.
Once they have verified the needle is in its proper place, a larger electrode will be applied over it to deliver heat for ablation. You will then be administered an injection of local anesthetic in order to numb the area where they used their electrode. Over time, heat from this electrode will cause tiny scars to form in tissue which will block signals from targeted nerves and thus diminish or eliminate pain altogether.
If you suffer from arthritis, fibromyalgia, or chronic regional pain syndrome and are seeking relief through radiofrequency ablation therapy, radiofrequency ablation could be the perfect solution. Millions of people worldwide suffer from chronic pain which affects sleep patterns, work processes and relationships – as such it’s safe and effective treatment option available to treat such ailments.
Radiofrequency ablation is an effective solution to treating chronic back, neck and lower back pain caused by compression or inflammation of spinal nerves. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and you should usually be able to go home the same day; though you may experience some soreness or tenderness at the treatment site initially; this should subside within a few days; to enhance results during recovery at home it’s recommended applying an ice pack several times daily for 20 minutes at each session for optimal results.
What are the benefits of radiofrequency ablation?
Millions of people worldwide suffer from chronic pain. Unfortunately, it can be challenging to treat using traditional medications and can significantly diminish quality of life. When this type of discomfort continues to worsen despite painkiller use, patients may benefit from RFA – an outpatient procedure using noninvasive techniques to interrupt pain signals sent from nerves directly into your brain – with treatment being completed quickly during an overnight hospital stay.
Before undergoing RFA, it’s essential that you consult with your physician regarding all of your current medications to make sure none of them will interfere with the procedure. Once ready for RFA, your pain specialist will use X-ray guidance to place a needle in the area where pain exists before inserting an electrode through it and emitting radiofrequency current through it that damages nerve fibers; eventually this damages and destroys parts of these nerves that transmit pain signals back into your brain.
Once the procedure has taken place, some discomfort at the injection site may persist for up to a few days afterward; this should subside quickly with rest and refraining from engaging in strenuous activity such as driving. Pain relief typically begins within days but it could take up to seven days before all treated nerves cease sending pain signals.
RFA may be a suitable treatment option for patients who have tried other approaches such as painkillers and physical therapy without experiencing improvement. RFA can be used to alleviate lower back, hip, and knee pain as well as arthritis-related arthritis as well as other forms of joint discomfort.
If you are experiencing chronic pain that is unresponsive to other treatments, reach out to our team or book an appointment online so we can show how RFA can assist. Our pain medicine consultants will offer personalized advice based on your condition and desired goals for treatment.
What are the risks of radiofrequency ablation?
Radiofrequency ablation is an effective solution for painful conditions that do not respond to traditional treatments, and destroys nerve signals responsible for transmitting pain directly into the brain, thus ending transmission.
Procedure can be performed either outpatient or with short hospital stay under conscious or deep sedation, and performed by a Radiofrequency Ablation Specialist who uses imaging technologies like X-rays and CT scans to precisely locate your pain. Following that, a thin needle is then inserted into the target area guided by imaging equipment; once in position it connects with a generator that delivers radiofrequency energy directly through it; this heats targeted nerve tissue so much it’s destroyed over time.
Numbing agents are injected through a needle to minimize discomfort. Once the area is numb, a test is conducted to make sure the needle has reached the appropriate spot. A small amount of radiofrequency current will then be administered through it; if you experience a tingling sensation (or pain or muscle twitch) this indicates the right nerve has been identified and RFA may help relieve your discomfort. If none such sensation is felt then RFA likely failed and further treatment may need to be tried –
After positioning, a small amount of radiofrequency energy will be administered through the needle to destroy targeted nerve tissue. If successful, multiple nerves can be treated simultaneously; after treatment has completed, the needle will be removed and you will be allowed to go home; it is important to abide by all post-procedure instructions such as refraining from driving for 24 hours and resting. Occasionally during recovery at home you may apply an ice pack for 20 minutes at a time on injection site(s).
Although complications of thoracic RFA are unlikely, risks include pneumothorax and pleural effusion. To minimize these complications, needles are usually inserted through an incision in the chest wall into the pleural space; this method is far less invasive than using skin incisions for placement. A follow-up CT or MRI examination should also be scheduled in order to gauge effectiveness of treatment and identify areas which failed to respond as planned.
