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Current Pain and Headache Reports
Published in: Current Pain and Headache Reports 10/2019

01-10-2019 | Nerve Block | Hot Topics in Pain and Headache (N Rosen, Section Editor)

Utilization Patterns of Facet Joint Interventions in Managing Spinal Pain: a Retrospective Cohort Study in the US Fee-for-Service Medicare Population

Authors: Laxmaiah Manchikanti, Amol Soin, Dharam P. Mann, Sanjay Bakshi, Vidyasagar Pampati, Alan D. Kaye, Joshua A. Hirsch

Published in: Current Pain and Headache Reports | Issue 10/2019

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

To assess patterns of utilization and variables of facet joint interventions in managing chronic spinal pain in a fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare population from 2009 to 2016, with a comparative analysis from 2000 to 2009 and 2009 to 2016.

Recent Findings

From 2009 to 2016, facet joint interventions increased at an annual rate of 2% per 100,000 Medicare population compared to 10.2% annual rate of increase from 2000 to 2009. Lumbosacral facet joint nerve block episodes decreased at an annual rate of 0.1% from 2009 to 2016, with an increase of 16.2% from 2000 to 2009. In contrast, lumbosacral facet joint neurolysis episodes increased at an annual rate of 7.6% from 2009 to 2016 and the utilization rate also increased at an annual rate of 26% from 2000 to 2009. The ratio of lumbar facet joint block episodes to lumbosacral facet joint neurolysis episodes changed from 6.7 in 2000 to 2.2 in 2016. From 2009 to 2016, cervical and thoracic facet joint injections increased at an annual rate of 0.6% compared to cervicothoracic facet neurolysis episodes of 9.2%. During 2000 to 2009, annual increase of cervical facet joint injections was 18% compared to neurolysis procedures of 26%. The ratio of cervical facet joint injections episodes to neurolysis episodes changed from 8.85 in 2000 to 2.8 in 2016.

Summary

In summary, based on available data, utilization patterns of facet joint interventions demonstrated an increase of 2% per 100,000 Medicare population from 2009 to 2016, with an annual decline of lumbar facet joint injection episodes.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Utilization Patterns of Facet Joint Interventions in Managing Spinal Pain: a Retrospective Cohort Study in the US Fee-for-Service Medicare Population
Authors
Laxmaiah Manchikanti
Amol Soin
Dharam P. Mann
Sanjay Bakshi
Vidyasagar Pampati
Alan D. Kaye
Joshua A. Hirsch
Publication date
01-10-2019
Publisher
Springer US
Keyword
Nerve Block
Published in
Current Pain and Headache Reports / Issue 10/2019
Print ISSN: 1531-3433
Electronic ISSN: 1534-3081
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-019-0816-7

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