An Anatomical Assessment of the “Percutaneous Rhizolysis” Procedure

The procedure known as rhizolysis has been claimed to denervate the lumbar zygapophyseal joints. Analysis of the surgical anatomy of the incisions used in the procedure reveals that theoretically they do not interrupt the nerve supply to the zygapophyseal joints. The procedure was performed at six levels in each of three cadavers. Subsequent dissection revealed that at no level was the nerve supply to the zygapophyseal joints interrupted. The writers conclude that denervation of the Zygapophyseal joints cannot be held to be the mechanism of any pain relief that rhizolysis may achieve.