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Radiofrequency Versus Cervical Fusion for Chronic Whiplash

NCT07535515 · Status: COMPLETED · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 170

Last updated 2026-04-17

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Chronic neck pain after whiplash injury is a common and disabling condition that can significantly affect quality of life, daily activities, and psychological well-being. In some patients, pain persists for months or years despite conservative treatments, leading to consideration of more invasive therapeutic options. Two commonly used treatments in selected patients are cervical zygapophyseal (facet) joint radiofrequency and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), but their comparative long-term outcomes in routine clinical practice are not well defined.

This study aims to compare the clinical, functional, and psychological outcomes of patients with chronic post-traumatic cervical whiplash who were treated either with cervical medial branch radiofrequency or with anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. The study uses a retrospective observational design based on the review of medical records from a tertiary hospital over a 20-year period.

Adult patients diagnosed with chronic post-traumatic whiplash and treated between 2005 and 2025 are included. All treatments were performed as part of usual clinical care and were not assigned for research purposes. Data collected include patient characteristics, injury mechanism, type of treatment received, pain intensity, functional disability, psychological symptoms, need for repeat procedures or additional surgery, and clinical follow-up information.

The primary objective is to compare pain relief between the two treatment groups. Secondary objectives include comparison of functional recovery, duration of treatment benefit, recurrence of pain, psychological symptoms, need for further interventions, and return to daily activities or work.

By analyzing long-term real-world data, this study seeks to improve understanding of the relative effectiveness of cervical radiofrequency and surgical fusion for chronic whiplash pain, helping clinicians and patients make more informed treatment decisions. No new interventions are performed as part of this study, and all data are analyzed anonymously.

Conditions

  • Whiplash Injury
  • Whiplash Injury of Cervical Spine
  • Chronic Neck Pain
  • Post-Traumatic Neck Pain

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University of Valencia

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Vicente Vanaclocha Vanaclocha, MD PhD · University of Valencia

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2005-01-31
Primary Completion
2025-12-31
Completion
2025-12-31

Countries

  • Spain

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07535515 on ClinicalTrials.gov