Comparative Study Between Thermal Radiofrequency Neurolysis Versus Alcoholic Neurolysis of the Genicular Nerves for Treatment of Chronic Knee Pain in Advanced Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease characterized by the degradation of the articular cartilage, with many factors implicated in the disease pathogenesis.

Chronic pain of knee osteoarthritis is a common clinical symptom leading to restricted movement, disability, psychological distress, and impaired quality of life.

The targeted genicular nerves are those that had a close topographic relationship with the bone cortical surfaces, such as the femoral epicondyles (Superior medial [SM] and Superior lateral [SL] genicular nerves) and the medial tibial epicondyle (Inferior medial [IM] genicular nerve).

Nerve ablation causes iatrogenic neural degeneration, aiming only for sensory or sympathetic denervation without motor deficits. The nerve ablation methods currently available are performed by either thermal ablation using radiofrequency or chemical ablation using alcohol or phenol.

Chemical neurolysis techniques can be an effective method to accomplish a larger, more thorough lesioning than radiofrequency ablation and are capable of covering the anatomical variability of genicular nerves, so ensuring a better success rate and outcome with less cost and less logistic support.