Basivertebral nerve ablation provides comparable early pain relief in patients with psychiatric conditions: A real-world study

Background Patients with psychiatric conditions experience higher rates of chronic low back pain (LBP) compared to the general population and frequently face worse outcomes, including delayed diagnosis, higher rates of opioid dependence, and suboptimal pain management. Despite the high burden of chronic LBP on patients with psychiatric illnesses, the effectiveness of interventional pain management procedures in this population remains understudied. Objective This study sought to evaluate early pain reduction and functional outcomes following BVN ablation in patients with psychiatric conditions. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients who underwent BVN ablation at our institution from November 2019 to January 2025. For patient group designation and comparison, we identified Patients with Psychiatric Conditions (PCC, N = 52) and Patients without Psychiatric Conditions (Non-PPC, N = 82). Psychiatric diagnoses included anxiety disorders, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, Tourette's syndrome, and substance use disorders. Pain severity was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at baseline and at the 4–6-week post-procedure follow-up visit, and functional improvement was determined based on documented patient-reported outcomes at the same time point. Results A statistically significant decrease in VAS was observed in the PPC cohort (7.4 vs. 3.71, p = 0.006) and the Non-PPC cohort (6.82 vs. 3.82, p = 0.017). When comparing the PPC cohort to the Non-PPC cohort, no statistically significant difference was observed in the percentage of patients reporting improvement in functional status after the procedure (80.8% vs. 78.0%, p = 0.706). Conclusions At 4–6-weeks post procedure, patients with psychiatric conditions experienced significant pain relief and improvement in functional status comparable to patients without psychiatric conditions. These findings suggest that having a documented psychiatric condition does not significantly alter early pain relief or functional improvement outcomes after BVN ablation.