The facet syndrome is a clinical disease entity of low back pain caused by abnormalities of the facet joint. This study was performed to evaluate the clinical effect of facet joint injections in patients who were suspicious of facet syndrome.

Eleven patients with hip and buttock pain, low back stiffness, local paralumbar tenderness, pain on extension, and absence of neurologic deficits, suggestive syptomes and signs of facet syndrome, had performed 44 facet joint injections in a prospective study. Facet joint arthrogrames were performed prior to intraarticular injections of local anesthetic and cortisone. Pain relief on intraarticular injections was used to comfirm the diagnosis and guide to utilize the therapeutics. The effect of facet joint injections was evaluated by the pain improvement ratio and classified as excellent in 45%, good in 45%, no pain relief in 9% at 2weeds, and 9%, 55%, 36% at 6months, respectively. The diagnosis of facet syndrome was possible in 10cases(90%) of excellent and good pain relief in 2 weeks and intraarticular injection was useful for therapeutics in 7 cases(64%) in 6 months.

From this study, this procedure is recommended for diagnosis and conservative therapy for suspicious of facet syndrome.