Osteoarthritis (OA) is globally the most prevalent joint disease and causes patients great pain, limited joint mobility, and psychological distress. Short- and long-term therapies like steroid injections and arthroplasty exist, respectively. Joint arthroplasty can effectively treat symptomatic end-stage OA, but most patients do not go through with surgery because they are not qualified, have comorbidities, or do not wish to undergo surgery. As a result, patients can turn to opioid agonists for pain relief, which contributes to the growing opioid epidemic that mars our communities. Cooled radiofrequency ablation (C-RFA) is an effective treatment modality that can alleviate the pain associated with moderate to severe OA, especially in patients who have tried and failed conservative therapy. This review article elucidates the benefits of C-RFA, while also walking through the technical steps to performing the procedure. For patients suffering from debilitating joint OA, especially of the knee, C-RFA is a minimally invasive procedure that ensures pain relief.
Keywords: ablation; cooled radiofrequency; interventional radiology; joint pain; nerve; osteoarthritis.
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