Background & Aims

Chronic knee pain, often stemming from non-inflammatory Osteoarthritis (OA), is a prevalent issue in elderly individuals. While conservative approaches and various treatments exhibit some effectiveness, there is a clear need to explore more potent therapeutic options. Our study explores combining genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with intra-articular platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection for knee OA, aiming for improved pain relief and mobility compared to RFA alone.

Methods

This was a randomized controlled open label exploratory study. Total 60 patients with chronic osteoarthritis knee pain were randomly distributed into 2 groups. Group A patients received RFA of genicular nerves along with an intra-articular Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injection and group B patients received RFA of the genicular nerves only. Pain was assessed using the numeric rating scale (NRS), disability was measured with the Western Ontario McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC), and depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) before the intervention, as well as at one week, one month, and three months afterward. Employment status was assessed before and 3 months after the procedure. Continuous data analyzed via t-test, categorical data via Chi-square test.

Results

NRS and WOMAC were significantly lower in group ‘A’ compared to the group ‘B’ at 3 months with P-value of 0.02 and 0.01 respectively. No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of depression status and the employment status. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of their depression and employment statuses.

Conclusions

Combination of radiofrequency ablation of genicular nerves and intraarticular platelet rich plasma injection can be considered as a safe and effective option for managing pain and enhancing function in patients with chronic knee osteoarthritis.

References

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Presenting Author

Shiwam Gupta

Poster Authors

Shiwam Gupta

MD

All India Institute Of Medical Sciences

Lead Author

E-mail

Praveen Talawar

MD

AIIMS, Rishikesh

Lead Author

E-mail

Ajit Kumar

MD

AIIMS, Rishikesh

Lead Author

E-mail

Baibhav Bhandari

MD

AIIMS, Rishikesh

Lead Author

E-mail

Ravi Sharma

All India institute of medical sciences,(AIIMS), Gorakhpur

Lead Author

E-mail

Gaurav Purohit

MD

Army Hospital (Research and Referral)

Lead Author

E-mail

Topics

  • Specific Pain Conditions/Pain in Specific Populations: Rheumatology, Arthritis, and Other