Clinical Practice Variations in Interventional Treatment of Chronic Lumbosacral Radicular Pain Among Registered Dutch Pain Specialists: A National Survey.

OBJECTIVE

This questionnaire study aims to analyze the current clinical practice of the minimally invasive treatment of chronic lumbosacral radicular pain among accredited pain specialists in the Netherlands.

METHODS

Participants received an online questionnaire regarding differences in clinical practice comprising definitions and clinical criteria for diagnosis; indications for interventional treatment; technical approaches to treatment; and outcome evaluation in the management of chronic lumbosacral radicular pain.

RESULTS AND

CONCLUSION

A total of 125 pain specialists (response rate: 29%) completed the questionnaire. The most notable finding was that only 27% reported routinely performing prognostic selective nerve root blocks with local anesthetics prior to pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) treatment in patients with chronic lumbosacral radicular pain. Lidocaine was the preferred local anesthetic (n = 72, 63%). PRF was identified as the cornerstone of therapeutic interventional treatment by 81% of respondents (n = 93), and 40% (n = 46) reported combining PRF with corticosteroid administration.