{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T21:46:11Z","timestamp":1790199971213,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,5]],"date-time":"2024-04-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1712275200000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"FUSMobile","award":["N\/a"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["N\/a"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Reg Anesth Pain Med"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,22]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,6]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>The objective of this study is to investigate safety and effectiveness of a fluoroscopy-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) system for thermal ablation of the lumbar medial branch nerves.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>This dual center prospective cohort study enrolled 30 participants with lumbar zygapophyseal joint syndrome. Each participant previously had a positive response to either a single diagnostic analgesic block or radiofrequency ablation (RFA). The primary effectiveness outcome was individual responder rate, defined as a reduction of two points or more on the pain intensity numerical rating scale without an increase in opioid intake, or a reduction in opioid intake without an increase in pain at 6\u2009months after the intervention. The primary safety outcome was procedure-related or device-related adverse events (AEs). Secondary outcome variables included MRI evidence of tissue ablation, Oswestry Disability Index, 12-Item Short Form Health Survey, Brief Pain Inventory, and Patient Global Impression of Change.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>The individual responder rate was 89.7% at 2\u2009days, 89.7% at 7\u2009days, 72.4% at 14 days, 82.1% at 30 days, 59.3% at 90 days and 82.6% at 180 days. The average Numeric Rating Scale for pain severity decreased from 7.1 at baseline to 3.0 (N=29) after 2\u2009days, 3.0 (N=29) after 7\u2009days, 3.1 (N=29) after 14 days, 3.2 (N=28) after 30 days, 4.3 (N=27) after 90 days, and 3.3 (N=23) after 180 days. All participants tolerated the procedure well with no significant side effects or complications.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Fluoroscopy-guided HIFU neurotomy achieved clinical responses comparable with RFA, and there were no significant device-related or procedure-related AEs.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Trial registration number<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>\n                     <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" ext-link-type=\"clintrialgov\" xlink:href=\"NCT04129034\">NCT04129034<\/jats:ext-link>.<\/jats:p>\n               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