How do we target specific nerves?
Answer:
When managing chronic
pain, the clinician must identify the associated sensory nerve. Then the clinician
must place the radiofrequency nerve ablation probe close enough to the nerve to
create sufficient thermal damage to stop conduction. Current devices provide
the clinician with a mechanism to assess the position of the probe relative to
the nerve by measuring impedance. Impedance is the resistance of the tissues
between the tip of the probe and the target nerve. The greater the distance
between the nerve and the probe, the greater the impedance will be. The ability
to measure impedance between the probe and the nerve represents a significant
advance in the treatment of plantar fasciitis with radiofrequency nerve
ablation and allows the clinician to move the procedure from the operating room
to the pain clinic.
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