Evaluation of rhizotomy Review of 12 years' experience

Abstract

✓ This paper evaluates 286 Mayo Clinic patients who had dorsal rhizotomies for pain. For purposes of analysis the patients were divided according to the origin of the pain. The group with pain of unknown etiology had the highest success rate (25% to 50%), but the overall long-term results were discouraging. Many groups had no success. Diagnostic blocks were almost always unsuccessful and proved to be a very unreliable prognostic indication of the result to be expected from section of the same roots.