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EuroPainClinicsStudy XIr-Zj

EuroPainClinicsStudy XIr-Zj (Cryoablation vs Radiofrequency Ablation of Medial Nerve Branches of Dorsal Roots Crossing Z Joints)

Status
Active, not recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05813639
Acronym
EPCS XIr-Zj
Enrollment
150
Registered
2023-04-14
Start date
2023-04-02
Completion date
2026-07-01
Last updated
2026-06-18

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Back Pain

Brief summary

Determine the efficacy of lumbar medial branch neurotomy by radiofrequency and cryoablation in patients with chronic low back pain

Detailed description

Facet joint pain encompasses a significant portion of the possible sources of pain in patients with vertebrogenic algic syndrome.A typical symptom caused by facet joint irritation of the medial branch nerve is a back pain with intermittent irregular patchy pain spreading to the legs. The cause of this pain is irritation of the medial branch of the dorsal nerve root which innervates a facet joint. Confirmation of the source of the pain involves local anaesthetic blocks of the medial nerve branches in several adjoining vertebral areas. If this test is positive, then the patient's condition is indicated for radiofrequency ablation or cryoablation of the nerve branches. Description of interventional procedures: Patients with chronic low back pain with confirmed zygapophysial joint pain after previous two medial branch nerve blocks with positive results are indicated for radiofrequency medial neurotomy or alternative cryoablation neurotomy. Navigation with probes in both cases is arranged and directed according to fluoroscopic imaging.

Interventions

The procedure is based on positive lumbar Z- joint testing followed by medial branch neurotomy

The procedure is based on positive lumbar Z- joint testing followed by medial branch neurotomy

PROCEDUREEndoscopic denervation of fazet joint

The procedure is based on positive lumbar Z- joint testing followed by decapsulation of the facet joint through an endoscopic approach

Sponsors

EPC Education s.r.o.
Lead SponsorOTHER
Slovak Academy of Sciences
CollaboratorOTHER_GOV

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Caregiver)

Masking description

sealed envelope, random software

Intervention model description

Prospectively randomized patients with positive facet joint syndrome

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
20 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* patients aged between 20 and 80 * positive two medial branch nerve blocks with pain relief over 80% during the first 12 hours after nerve block application * positive patient history of facet joint pain * patients with chronic low back pain for at least 6 months with back pain and leg pain (VAS \>=5) * those who (only if a signature was obtainable), or whose legal guardian, fully understood the clinical trial details and signed the informed consent form

Exclusion criteria

* patients with a history of other spinal diseases (compression fracture, spondylitis, tumor) * women with positive a pregnancy tests before the trial or who planned to become * pregnant within the following 3 years * other patients viewed as inappropriate by the staff * disagreement with participation in the study

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change From Baseline EuroQoL-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) Value 36m36 months follow-upEQ-5D-5L self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression
Change From Baseline EuroQoL-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) Value 12m12 months follow-upEQ-5D-5L self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression
Change From Baseline Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS) of Back Pain 12m36 months follow-upChange From Baseline Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS) of Back Pain 12m measured by VAS 10 point measurement
Change From Baseline Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS) of Back Pain 36m36 months follow-upChange From Baseline Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS) of Back Pain 36m measured by VAS 10 point measurement
Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) 12m12 months follow-upThe ODI self-administered questionnaire measuring 0-100 scale
Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) 36m36 months follow-upThe ODI self-administered questionnaire measuring 0-100 scale

Countries

Slovakia

Contacts

STUDY_CHAIRMD, PhD, FIPP Rapcan, MD, FIPP

R-Clinic Bardejov, Slovakia, 085 01

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jun 19, 2026