One block too much? Pain outcomes for patients receiving one versus two medial branch blocks before thermal radiofrequency ablation

Joshua B. Cadwell; Mina A. Gaballa; Shona Jain; Shivam Patel; Patrick Hesketh; Adejuyigbe Adaralegbe; Steven Char; Andrew G. Kaufman

doi:10.1136/rapm-2023-104457

One block too much? Pain outcomes for patients receiving one versus two medial branch blocks before thermal radiofrequency ablation

Joshua B. Cadwell
, Mina A. Gaballa
, Shona Jain
, Shivam Patel
, Patrick Hesketh
, Adejuyigbe Adaralegbe
, Steven Char
, Andrew G. Kaufman

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Significant controversy exists in the literature about whether dual medial branch blocks (MBBs) are necessary before undergoing facet thermal radiofrequency ablation (tRFA).1-3 The current literature on one versus two MBBs, particularly those related to pain outcomes after tRFA, is of limited power due to their small sample sizes.4 5 This analysis aims to add to this evolving discussion by assessing pain and time to treatment in a large sample of patients undergoing one versus two MBBs before tRFA.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	517-518
Number of pages	2
Journal	Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
Volume	50
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/rapm-2023-104457
State	Published - Jun 1 2025
Externally published	Yes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine

Keywords

Back Pain
Injections, Spinal
Neck Pain
Pain Management
Radiofrequency Ablation

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10.1136/rapm-2023-104457

Cite this

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title = "One block too much? Pain outcomes for patients receiving one versus two medial branch blocks before thermal radiofrequency ablation",

abstract = "Significant controversy exists in the literature about whether dual medial branch blocks (MBBs) are necessary before undergoing facet thermal radiofrequency ablation (tRFA).1-3 The current literature on one versus two MBBs, particularly those related to pain outcomes after tRFA, is of limited power due to their small sample sizes.4 5 This analysis aims to add to this evolving discussion by assessing pain and time to treatment in a large sample of patients undergoing one versus two MBBs before tRFA.",

keywords = "Back Pain, Injections, Spinal, Neck Pain, Pain Management, Radiofrequency Ablation",

author = "Cadwell, \{Joshua B.\} and Gaballa, \{Mina A.\} and Shona Jain and Shivam Patel and Patrick Hesketh and Adejuyigbe Adaralegbe and Steven Char and Kaufman, \{Andrew G.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} American Society of Regional Anesthesia \& Pain Medicine 2023. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.",

year = "2025",

month = jun,

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doi = "10.1136/rapm-2023-104457",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "50",

pages = "517--518",

journal = "Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine",

issn = "1098-7339",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - One block too much? Pain outcomes for patients receiving one versus two medial branch blocks before thermal radiofrequency ablation

AU - Cadwell, Joshua B.

AU - Gaballa, Mina A.

AU - Jain, Shona

AU - Patel, Shivam

AU - Hesketh, Patrick

AU - Adaralegbe, Adejuyigbe

AU - Char, Steven

AU - Kaufman, Andrew G.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © American Society of Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine 2023. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

PY - 2025/6/1

Y1 - 2025/6/1

N2 - Significant controversy exists in the literature about whether dual medial branch blocks (MBBs) are necessary before undergoing facet thermal radiofrequency ablation (tRFA).1-3 The current literature on one versus two MBBs, particularly those related to pain outcomes after tRFA, is of limited power due to their small sample sizes.4 5 This analysis aims to add to this evolving discussion by assessing pain and time to treatment in a large sample of patients undergoing one versus two MBBs before tRFA.

AB - Significant controversy exists in the literature about whether dual medial branch blocks (MBBs) are necessary before undergoing facet thermal radiofrequency ablation (tRFA).1-3 The current literature on one versus two MBBs, particularly those related to pain outcomes after tRFA, is of limited power due to their small sample sizes.4 5 This analysis aims to add to this evolving discussion by assessing pain and time to treatment in a large sample of patients undergoing one versus two MBBs before tRFA.

KW - Back Pain

KW - Injections, Spinal

KW - Neck Pain

KW - Pain Management

KW - Radiofrequency Ablation

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85164943978

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85164943978#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1136/rapm-2023-104457

DO - 10.1136/rapm-2023-104457

M3 - Article

C2 - 37429619

AN - SCOPUS:85164943978

SN - 1098-7339

VL - 50

SP - 517

EP - 518

JO - Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine

JF - Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine

IS - 6

ER -

One block too much? Pain outcomes for patients receiving one versus two medial branch blocks before thermal radiofrequency ablation

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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