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. 2013 Sep 2;2013(9):CD002918. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD002918.pub3

Manjunath 2008.

Methods Randomised, double blind, active control
Radiofrequency lesioning carried out at 80ºC for 90 s at each site; phenol ablation carried out with 7% phenol. For both procedures, radiofrequency cannula was positioned, with stimulation at 50 and 2 Hz to identify proximity to sensory and motor nerves, and maintain blinding. Participants remained in prone position for 30 minutes
Participants monitored on ward for 24 hours. Follow up at 1 and 7 days, and 2 and 4 months
Participants Complex regional pain syndrome. History of failure to respond (pain intensity > 6/10) to treatment with oral pregabalin, amitriptyline, carbamazepine over >6 months, and response (pain intensity < 4/10) after diagnostic sympathetic block with lidocaine on three occasions
N = 20
Males/females not reported
Mean age 52 years in radiofrequency group, 39 years in phenol group
Interventions Radiofrequency lumbar sympathectomy, n = 10
Phenol lumbar sympathectomy, n = 10
Outcomes Nine pain outcomes, each assessed on a 0 to 10 scale
Adverse events
Withdrawals
Notes Oxford Quality Score: R = 2, DB = 2, W = 1; Total = 5/5
Oxford Pain Validity Score: 13/16
Risk of bias
Bias Authors' judgement Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias) Low risk "computer‐generated" random numbers
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Unclear risk Not reported
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) 
 All outcomes Low risk Participants blinded by creating similar scene for both procedures. Investigator collecting data not involved in procedures and unaware of the groups to which participants were assigned
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) 
 All outcomes Unclear risk One participant in the phenol group was not included in the efficacy analysis
Size High risk < 50 participants per treatment group

DB = double blinding; N = number of participants in study; n = number of participants in treatment group; R = randomisation; W = withdrawals