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...

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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
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Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-78522025000308800&lng=en&tlng=en
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author 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
author_facet 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
author_sort João Vital Arthur Maradona Oliveira Dias
collection DOAJ
description 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.
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publishDate 2025-08-01
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spelling doaj-art-0b0d49ec6f2b46b4812b31397c7544e12025-08-20T03:47:16ZengSociedade Brasileira de Ortopedia e TraumatologiaActa Ortopédica Brasileira1413-78522025-08-0133310.1590/1413-785220253303e289218GENICULAR NERVE ABLATION IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: A RANDOMIZED PROSPECTIVE STUDYJoão Vital Arthur Maradona Oliveira Diashttps://orcid.org/0009-0004-9267-6987Vitor Ricardo Alves Pereira de Moraeshttps://orcid.org/0009-0003-7040-780XMatheus Trindade Bruxelas de Freitashttps://orcid.org/0009-0001-2535-3529Matheus Manolo Aroucahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-0994-9680Guilherme Pereira Ocamposhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0052-6769Olavo Pires de Camargohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1128-7292Márcia Uchoa de Rezendehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2020-9501ABSTRACT 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.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-78522025000308800&lng=en&tlng=enOsteoarthritis, KneePainPhenolRadiofrequency Ablation
spellingShingle 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
GENICULAR NERVE ABLATION IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: A RANDOMIZED PROSPECTIVE STUDY
Acta Ortopédica Brasileira
Osteoarthritis, Knee
Pain
Phenol
Radiofrequency Ablation
title GENICULAR NERVE ABLATION IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: A RANDOMIZED PROSPECTIVE STUDY
title_full GENICULAR NERVE ABLATION IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: A RANDOMIZED PROSPECTIVE STUDY
title_fullStr GENICULAR NERVE ABLATION IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: A RANDOMIZED PROSPECTIVE STUDY
title_full_unstemmed GENICULAR NERVE ABLATION IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: A RANDOMIZED PROSPECTIVE STUDY
title_short GENICULAR NERVE ABLATION IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: A RANDOMIZED PROSPECTIVE STUDY
title_sort genicular nerve ablation in knee osteoarthritis a randomized prospective study
topic Osteoarthritis, Knee
Pain
Phenol
Radiofrequency Ablation
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-78522025000308800&lng=en&tlng=en
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