NASA Neuroscience And Spine Associates, P. L

In some low back discomfort programs, if three facet block injections provide good but temporary relief of the patient’s discomfort, a facet rhizotomy injection may be recommended. The purpose of a facet rhizotomy injection is to provide lasting low back discomfort relieve by disabling the sensory nerve that goes to the facet joint.

In this injection procedure a needle with a probe is inserted just outside the joint. The probe is then heated with radio waves and applied to the sensory nerve to the joint in order to disable the nerve. Theoretically, by deadening the sensory nerve to the face joint, a facet rhizotomy effective prevents the discomfort signals from getting to the brain.

A facet rhizotomy injection is successful in providing lasting discomfort relief for approximately 50% of patients.