Open AccessUltrasound-Guided Genicular Nerve Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment For Painful Knee Osteoarthritis: A Preliminary Report
Author(s) -
Serdar Kesikburun
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
pain physician
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.31
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 2150-1149
pISSN - 1533-3159
DOI - 10.36076/ppj/2019.19.e751
Subject(s) - medicine , pulsed radiofrequency , womac , osteoarthritis , visual analogue scale , surgery , knee pain , interventional pain management , chronic pain , physical therapy , pain relief , pathology , alternative medicine
Background: Genicular nerve ablation with radiofrequency (RF) has recently emerged as apromising treatment in the management of osteoarthritis related knee pain. To date, genicularnerve injections have been performed under fluoroscopic guidance.Objective: To evaluate the effect of ultrasound-guided genicular nerve pulsed RF treatment onchronic knee pain and function in patients with knee osteoarthritis.Study Design: Single-arm prospective study.Setting: University hospital and rehabilitation center in Turkey.Methods: A review was made of 29 patients with medial knee osteoarthritis who hadundergone genicular nerve block in the previous 6 months. Patients with at least 50% reductionin the visual analog scale (VAS) score after genicular nerve block and with no on-going painrelief were selected for the study. Ultrasound-guided genicular nerve pulsed RF was applied to15 knees of 9 patients. Pain and knee function were assessed with 100-mm VAS and WesternOntario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) index throughout 3 months.Results: A significant reduction in VAS scores was detected over time after the pulsed RFprocedure (f: 69.24, P < 0.01). There was a significant improvement in the WOMAC scores (f:539.68 , P < 0.01).Limitations: The small number of participants, the lack of a control group, and short followup period were limitations of the study.Conclusions: Genicular nerve pulsed RF treatment has been found to be safe and beneficialin osteoarthritis related knee pain. Further studies with a larger population and randomizedcontrolled study design are warranted to confirm the positive findings of this preliminary report.Key words: Knee pain, osteoarthritis, genicular nerve, ultrasonography, pulsed radiofrequency