PCN, PRF both relieve pain in cervical disc herniation

(HealthDay)—For patients with contained cervical disc herniation, both percutaneous nucleoplasty (PCN) and pulsed radio frequency (PRF) are associated with pain relief, according to a study published online Sept. 9 in Pain Practice.

In a prospective randomized clinical trial, Willy Halim, M.D., from Anna Hospital in Geldrop, Netherlands, and colleagues examined the efficacy of PCN versus PRF in patients with contained cervical disc herniation. Thirty-four patients with radicular pain due to a single contained cervical disc herniation were treated with PCN or PRF (17 patients each).

The researchers found that in the PCN group, patients were treated at C5-C6 or C6-C7 (eight and nine cases, respectively), while in the PRF group, patients were treated at C3-C4, C5-C6, or C6-C7 (one, 10, and six cases, respectively). In the PCN and PRF groups there was a significant improvement from baseline in the mean pain visual analogue scale at three months (mean improvement, 43.4 and 34.0 points, respectively). Improvement in the two groups did not differ significantly (P = 0.48). There were no reports of serious complications.

"Within three months, both PCN and PRF show significant pain improvement in patients with contained cervical disc herniation, but none is superior to the other," the authors write. "Both treatment options appear to be effective and safe in regular clinical practice."

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