Riassunto dello studio

One hundred twenty patients with chronic facetogenic low back pain were randomized into three groups: cryoneurolysis (n=40), radiofrequency ablation (n=40), or placebo (n=40). The primary outcome was the proportion of patients achieving significant improvement on the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) scale at 4 weeks. Secondary outcomes included changes in pain intensity, quality of life, functional disability, depression, and pain catastrophizing, measured up to 12 months. Overall, no significant differences were observed in PGIC or secondary outcomes at 4 weeks between cryoneurolysis, radiofrequency, and placebo groups, except for a transient significant effect of cryoneurolysis on PGIC at 6 months. The study concluded that neither intervention significantly improved outcomes in the long term.