J Korean Acad Rehabil Med.  2004 Oct;28(5):449-453.

Effect of Radiofrequency Lesioning on Peripheral Nerve Conductivity in Relation to Distance between Lesioning Electrode and Target Tissue in Rats

• Ko HY
• Shin YB
• Lee SH
• Moohn HN
• Kwon DR
• Ahn YH

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To investigate neurophysiologic changes of peripheral nerves, which were injured by radiofrequency thermocoagulation and evaluate an effective distance between the lesioning electrode and target nerve tissue. METHOD: Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were used and divided into three groups by the distance between the lesioning electrode and the sciatic nerve: 2 mm, 4 mm, 6 mm for each group (10 rats for each group). Radiofrequency lesioning was performed with 1.5 Volt, 1 MHz-frequency and 1 ms duration current for 90 sec. On the first and the fifth day after radiofrequency lesioning, latencies and amplitudes of compound muscle action potential were compared with the baseline values. RESULTS: No statistically significant latency change was observed on the first and the fifth day after lesioning. The amplitude was significantly reduced in group I and II on the first and the fifth day after lesioning, in contrast that, there was no significant change in the group III. CONCLUSION: There was significant decrement in the amplitude after effective radiofrequency lesioning to the sciatic nerve with the distance of 4 mm or less. However, changes of the latencies was not significant. It was suggested that effective distance between raidiofrequency lesioning electrode and target peripheral nerve was 4 mm or less.

Keyword

Radiofreqency lesioning; Effective distance; Neurophysiologic change; Peripheral nerve

MeSH Terms

Action Potentials
Animals
Electrocoagulation
Electrodes*
Nerve Tissue
Peripheral Nerves*
Rats*
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Sciatic Nerve