Background and aims. Chronic Lumbar Radicular Pain caused by injury of a spinal nerve root may be associated with numbness, tingling, weakness, meaning nociceptive and neuropathic painful components. CLRP can be effectively treated combining pharmacological and
interventional treatments. Tapentadol (MOR-NRI agent) with its dual analgesic mechanisms of action is a real opportunity to treat radicular pain. The aim of this study is to prove a sparing effect from a combined treatment by radiofrequency and tapentadol.
Methods. In our retrospective study from March 2017 to January 2018 we enrolled 50 patients with CLRP from more than 3 months, correlated lumbar discopathy, without a preexisting surgical repair, nobody responder to early physical and pharmacological therapy. At beginning each enrolled patient was subjected to intradiscal and dorsal root ganglia radiofrequency treatment and then discharged with tapentadol prescription for at least 30 days. Outcome measures were improvement of the Numeric Pain Rating Score, Oswestry Disability Index and DN4
questionnaire.
Results. At first control visit we have had as responder (with reduction NPRS > 30%) 38 patients (77.6% - I.C. 95%: 65.6÷89.5) and (reducted NPRS >50%) 14 patients (28.6% - I.C. 95%: 15.6÷41.5). Tapentadol doses changed from a media of 100 mg/die until 140 mg/die with a max
of 200 mg/die overall period. It has been observed that DN4 and ODI improve during all period of study.
Conclusions. Radiofrequency and tapentadol combined treatment allows a sparing effect for radicular pain, with no early repetition of radiofrequency procedure and a reduced daily doses of tapentadol.

RADIOFREQUENCY TAPENTADOL TREATMENT FOR CHRONIC LUMBAR RADICULOPATHY