EFFICACY OF ULTRASOUND-GUIDED PULSED RADIOFREQUENCY ON THE DORSAL ROOT GANGLION COMBINED WITH SHORT-TERM SPINAL CORD STIMULATION FOR POSTHERPETIC NEURALGIA MANAGEMENT IN ATHLETES

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of combining short-term spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) and muscle and bone ultrasound (MBU)-guided pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) in treating postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) in athletes. Methods: In this study, 150 athletes suffering from PHN were randomly divided into three groups at Wuhan First Hospital from January 2020 to March 2022. Each group consisted of 50 athletes: one receiving only MBU-guided DRG-PRF, another receiving only tSCS, and the third receiving both treatments concurrently. The study recorded general patient data and incidences of complications or adverse reactions across the groups. Effectiveness of treatments was evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Quality of Life Scores (SF-36), and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) assessed at baseline, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks post-treatment. Results: The general data among the three groups showed no significant differences initially (P>0.05). Effectiveness rates improved over time in all groups, with the combination group achieving a 96.00% effectiveness rate by week four. Initial assessments showed no significant differences in VAS, PSQI, SF-36, and SDS scores among the groups (P>0.05). However, significant improvements were observed in all scores from week one to four post-treatment (P<0.05), with the combination group exhibiting the most substantial improvements. No significant differences in complications or adverse reactions were noted among the groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: The integration of tSCS and MBU-guided DRG-PRF offers a promising therapeutic synergy for PHN treatment in athletes, significantly enhancing pain relief, sleep quality, life quality, and reducing depression symptoms without increasing adverse effects. This combination therapy presents a viable new treatment modality for PHN management in sports medicine.