Genicular Nerve RF Ablation Studied to Reduce Knee Pain

March 1, 2023—The Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) announced findings from a study showing that genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation (RFA) can significantly reduce pain caused by osteoarthritis of the knee, especially for adults aged ≥ 50 years.

According to SIR, this is the first time a study has examined patient demographics, surgical history, and other clinical characteristics that may predict the level of pain reduction after treatment.

The study, “Genicular Nerve Radiofrequency Ablation: Is there a Predictor of Outcomes?” by Kaitlin Carrato, MD, will be presented at the SIR annual scientific meeting held March 4-9 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Dr. Carrato, Chief Resident, Interventional Radiology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC, commented in the SIR press release, “We know this treatment has clear benefits in reducing pain and improving the ability to do everyday activities for patients. But now that we know it’s particularly helpful for those over 50 years old, it may mean that those with chronic pain conditions, like arthritis, would benefit more from this treatment than patients suffering acute pain, such as an injury.”

The study’s senior investigator, John B. Smirniotopoulos, MD, added, “Roughly one in four United States adults have knee pain. This treatment can offer many of those people a chance to enjoy everyday activities and regain a higher quality of life by decreasing the pain that they experience on a daily basis.” Dr. Smirniotopoulos is an interventional radiologist at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.

As summarized in the SIR press release, the study examined pain reduction for 36 patients using the visual analog scale (VAS) and the Western Ontario McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) pain scale. The investigators evaluated whether pain reduction levels were influenced by demographics and clinical characteristics, such as age, gender, body mass index, history of previous surgery, and history of fibromyalgia.

The investigators reported that before treatment, patients had a mean baseline VAS of 8.58 and a mean baseline WOMAC of 66.6. After treatment, all study participants experienced a statistically significant reduction in pain. The mean VAS of 8.58 decreased to 5.02, and the mean WOMAC score decreased from 66.6 to 41. The greatest increase in functionality and decrease in pain was recorded for patients aged ≥ 50 years compared to younger participants.

Genicular nerve RFA uses image guidance to place probe needles next to the nerves of the knee that can send pain signals to the brain. The probes generate radio waves, creating a ball of heat to dull or destroy the pain nerve endings. In other studies, the treatment has been shown to last for approximately 6 months to up to 2 years, stated SIR.

The investigators are currently conducting long-term studies into this treatment that explore what other factors could predict how well the treatment will work, noted the SIR press release.