GENICULAR NERVE ABLATION IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: A RANDOMIZED PROSPECTIVE STUDY

GENICULAR NERVE ABLATION IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: A RANDOMIZED PROSPECTIVE STUDY

ABSTRACT Objective: To document the effects of genicular nerve ablation in patients with severe knee osteoarthritis (OAJ) at 1 and 3 months. Methods: Prospective, randomized, and controlled trial with 35 patients with grade IV knee osteoarthritis according to Kelgren & Lawrence, undergoing gen...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: João Vital Arthur Maradona Oliveira Dias, Vitor Ricardo Alves Pereira de Moraes, Matheus Trindade Bruxelas de Freitas, Matheus Manolo Arouca, Guilherme Pereira Ocampos, Olavo Pires de Camargo, Márcia Uchoa de Rezende
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Ortopedia e Traumatologia 2025-08-01
Series:Acta Ortopédica Brasileira
Subjects:
Osteoarthritis, Knee
Pain
Phenol
Radiofrequency Ablation
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-78522025000308800&lng=en&tlng=en
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:ABSTRACT Objective: To document the effects of genicular nerve ablation in patients with severe knee osteoarthritis (OAJ) at 1 and 3 months. Methods: Prospective, randomized, and controlled trial with 35 patients with grade IV knee osteoarthritis according to Kelgren & Lawrence, undergoing genicular nerve ablation with pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) or phenol. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), the 30-Second Chair Stand Test (TSL30), and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. Results: The groups were similar at baseline. Both groups improved similarly up to 3 months (p<0.001). NRS decreased by an average of 30% from baseline to all subsequent assessments (p<0.05). TUG decreased between baseline and one month post-procedure (p=0.001), while TSL30 increased from baseline to one and three months (p<0.05). The average behavior of patients was equal between groups over the evaluations for all scores (p Interaction > 0.05). None of the scores differed between groups, regardless of the evaluation period (p Group > 0.05). Conclusions: Genicular nerve ablation in patients with severe OAJ can provide lasting improvements in pain, function, and quality of life. Both methods, phenol and radiofrequency, are effective. Level of Evidence I; Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial.
ISSN:1413-7852

Similar Items