A new combination of pulsed radiofrequency and platelet-rich plasma injections for management of grade I lumbosacral spondylolisthesis: A prospective study

Abstract

Abstract Our study aimed to investigate the clinical benefits of combining pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) techniques for treating chronic lumbosacral radicular (CLSR) pain resulting from grade I spondylolisthesis (G1SL). Ninety-six patients with CLSR pain between March 2021 and March 2023 were included in this study. Severity of pain was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score, which measured 6.75 ± 0.98 before procedure and decreased to 3.35 ± 0.78, 3.17 ± 0.56 and 3.03 ± 0.57 at 1, 3 and 6 months after procedure, respectively. Disability-related radicular pain was evaluated using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score, which was 75.84 ± 8.49 before procedure and reduced to 30.19 ± 5.19, 26.01 ± 3.91 and 24.27 ± 3.77 at 1, 3 and 6 months after procedure, respectively. These improvements were statistically significant compared to before procedure (all p < 0.05). The effect was assessed according to the modified MacNab criteria, with 67 cases classified as having an excellent treatment effect. Based on these findings, a new treatment combining PRF and PRP applications appears beneficial in managing pain in regenerative medicine. So, further clinical studies are necessary to support and validate our preliminary findings.