Application and Therapeutic Effect of Puncturing of the Costal Transverse Process for Pulsed Radiofrequency Treated T1-T3 Herpes Zoster Neuralgia

Figures & data

Figure 1 (A, E and G) CT-guided path design for T1, T2, and T3 puncture; (B) the tip of the puncture needle reached the T1 costal transverse joint; (C) the puncture needle have successfully crossed the costal transverse joint; (D, F and H) CT images of T1, T2, and T3 puncture, finally and respectively; (I) CT three-dimensional reconstruction of T1, T2, T3 puncture.

Notes: The red arrow indicates the current position reached by the puncture needle, and the green arrow indicates the costal transverse process joint.

Abbreviations: T1, the intervertebral foramen of the first thoracic vertebra; T2, the intervertebral foramen of the second thoracic vertebra; T3, the intervertebral foramen of the third thoracic vertebra.

Table 1 Clinical Characteristics of Patients

Patient No.	Clinical Characteristics			Patient No.	Clinical Characteristics
	Age	Sex	NRS		Age	Sex	NRS
1	42	Male	6	23	66	Male	5
2	46	Female	6	24	67	Female	5
3	46	Male	5	25	68	Female	5
4	49	Female	6	26	68	Male	5
5	51	Female	5	27	70	Male	6
6	52	Female	6	28	70	Female	6
7	54	Female	5	29	71	Male	6
8	54	Female	5	30	71	Female	4
9	56	Male	5	31	72	Male	6
10	57	Female	6	32	72	Female	5
11	58	Male	6	33	73	Male	6
12	58	Female	6	34	74	Male	5
13	59	Female	5	35	74	Female	6
14	59	Male	6	36	76	Female	6
15	61	Female	5	37	76	Male	5
16	63	Female	6	38	77	Male	5
17	63	Female	6	39	77	Female	6
18	63	Female	6	40	82	Male	5
19	63	Female	6	41	83	Male	7
20	64	Female	5	42	83	Male	5
21	65	Female	5	43	84	Male	5
22	65	Female	5	44	85	Male	5

Abbreviation: NRS, numerical rating scale.

Table 2 Comparison of Preoperative and Postoperative NRS

	Before Operation	After Operation
		1 Week	4 Weeks	8 Weeks	12 Weeks
Mann–Whitney U-test
g^2	0.50	8.18	7.30	18.04	23.76
α	0.13	4.80	5.27	9.46	11.39
NRS	5.48±0.59	3 (3, 3)	1 (1, 2)	0 (0, 1)	0 (0, 0)
P		0.001*	0.001*	0.001*	0.001*

Note: *P < 0.001.

Abbreviations: g², the kurtosis coefficient; α, the skewness coefficient.

Table 3 Comparison of Preoperative and Postoperative Medication

	Before Operation	After Operation
Gabapentin
Mann–Whitney U-test
g^2	0.38	0.23
α	0.56	0.01
P		0.002*
Tramadol hydrochloride
Mann–Whitney U-test
g^2	0.65	2.72
α	13.55	8.19
P		0.001**

Notes: *P<0.01, **P<0.001.

Abbreviations: g², the kurtosis coefficient; α, the skewness coefficient.