Comparison of ultrasound- and computed tomography-guided pulsed radiofrequency in treating ophthalmic branch postherpetic neuralgia: a retrospective study

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety between ultrasound- and computed tomography-guided pulsed radiofrequency in treating ophthalmic branch postherpetic neuralgia. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on data of 84 patients with ophthalmic branch postherpetic neuralgia. According to the puncture guiding method, the patients were divided into the ultrasound- and computed tomography-guided groups, which received the ultrasound- and computed tomography-guided supraorbital nerve pulsed radiofrequency treatment, respectively. The puncture time, numeric rating scale pain score before pulsed radiofrequency and after pulsed radiofrequency, effective rate of treatment, and intraoperative and postoperative adverse events were observed. RESULTS: The puncture time in the ultrasound-guided group was significantly shorter than that in the computed tomography-guided group (p<0.05). At 1, 4, and 12 weeks after pulsed radiofrequency, in two groups, the numeric rating scale pain score was significantly lower than that before pulsed radiofrequency, respectively (p<0.05). At each time, the numeric rating scale pain score showed no significant difference between the two groups (p>0.05). At 12 weeks after pulsed radiofrequency, there was no significant difference in the effective rate of treatment between the two groups (p>0.05). During the intraoperative and postoperative periods, the incidences of adverse event hematoma and oculocardiac reflex in the ultrasound-guided group were significantly lower than those in the computed tomography-guided group, respectively (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both ultrasound- and computed tomography-guided supraorbital nerve pulsed radiofrequencys have good efficacy in treating the ophthalmic branch postherpetic neuralgia. Compared with the computed tomography-guided pulsed radiofrequency, the ultrasound-guided pulsed radiofrequency has faster puncture operation and is safer. It is more worthy of clinical applications.