RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF THE LAST 100 CASES OF ECHO-GUIDED LUMBAR BLOCK FOR MEDICAL FACETS AND BRANCHES IN A REFERENCE CLINIC IN THE CITY OF GOIÂNIA, BRAZIL

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to demonstrate the results of ultrasound-guided blockade of the medial branches and lumbar facets in the treatment for pain relief. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective and comparative study, data analysis of the last 100 cases of lumbar block for medial facets and branches was performed in a reference clinic in the city of Goiânia-GO. The following information was also analyzed: age, sex, laterality, levels of involvement and confirmation of pain improvement using the visual analog scale (VAS). All patients underwent echo-guided puncture for blockade and the following medications were administered according to each case: 2% lidocaine without vasoconstrictor + betamethasone dipropionate (5mg/mL) + betamethasone disodium phosphate (2mg/mL) in medial cephalic and caudal branches of each level; Sodium hyaluronate 10mg/ml, being 0.5ml in each affected facet. RESULTS: The ultrasound and other imaging tests of these patients contained data on impairment of articular facets at 1, 2 or 3 levels. The mean age of the patients was 61 years old, being the youngest patient at 32 years old and the oldest at 93 years old. As for sex, 40% were male and 60% female. As for laterality, 72 patients were affected bilaterally, which is equivalent to 72%. As for the levels of involvement that were blocked, there was the following arrangement of cases: 13% of the cases were of blocks in only one level, 67% of the cases affecting two levels and 20% of the cases affecting three levels, with the prevalence of occurrence being level of L4-L5. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided blockade of medial branches and lumbar articular facets at specific levels according to each indication, proved to be effective in the treatment of pain relief in degenerative interfacetary spondyloarthropathy. Two articular levels were the highest frequency of procedures, with the L4-L5 level being the most prevalent. And pain relief was rated between 0 and 3, after procedure.