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Facet Medial Branch Block

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Treatment of Chronic Pain Conditions

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Abstract

The facet joints are well-documented, common sources of spinal pain. The medial branch (MB) block of the dorsal primary ramus subserves the facet joints, and a chemical or steroidal block of the nerve serves both as a diagnostic predicate to facet joint denervation as well as a potentially therapeutic intervention. Facet medial branch block (MBB) can safely be performed in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine, but varying levels of evidence support MBB possibly because there exists low variability in MB anatomy in the cervical and lumbar spines and more inconsistency the thoracic spine.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Interventional Spine, Pain and Neurosurgery, Holy Cross Hospital, 3111 NE 44th St., Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33308, USA

    W. Porter McRoberts MD

Authors
  1. W. Porter McRoberts MD
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Correspondence to W. Porter McRoberts MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Summit Pain Alliance, Santa Rosa, California, USA

    Jason E. Pope

  2. The Spine and Nerve Center of The Virginias, Charleston, West Virginia, USA

    Timothy R Deer

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McRoberts, W.P. (2017). Facet Medial Branch Block. In: Pope, J., Deer, T. (eds) Treatment of Chronic Pain Conditions. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6976-0_37

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6976-0_37

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-6974-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-6976-0

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