Facet injections target the small joints connecting vertebrae. Intra-articular injections deliver medication into the joint, while medial branch blocks anesthetize the nerves supplying it.
Medial branch blocks serve primarily as a diagnostic step before radiofrequency ablation.
Alternative Names:
Facet Block, Medial Branch Block
Why it Matters?
The diagnostic function matters more than the therapeutic one, because medial branch blocks are the required predicate for radiofrequency ablation. Guidelines generally call for two confirmatory blocks with substantial relief before ablation is indicated, and proceeding to ablation without them is a documented departure. The reported relief percentage recorded after each block is the specific data point to locate in the record.
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Frequently asked questions
Why are medial branch blocks performed?
What should the record document?
