Indications of the Neurotomy of Genicular Nerves by Radiofrequency for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Literature Review

• Published in: Revista brasileira de ortopedia Vol. 54; no. 3; pp. 233 - 240
• Main Authors: Ariel de Lima, Diego, Gonçalves, Marcelo Carvalho Krause, Grando, Souterland Thiago Correia E Sá, Cintra, Thiago Luiz de Lima, Pinto, Dilamar Moreira, Gonçalves, Romeu Krause
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Germany Sociedade Brasileira de Ortopedia e Traumatologia. Published by Thieme Revnter Publicações Ltda 01.05.2019; Sociedade Brasileira de Ortopedia e Traumatologia; Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda
• Subjects: articulação do joelho; Artigo de Revisão | Review; ondas de rádio; ORTHOPEDICS; osteoartrite do joelho; procedimentos neurocirúrgicos; rizotomia; neurosurgical procedures; rhizotomy; osteoarthritis, knee; radio waves; knee joint; rizotomia; osteoartrite do joelho; ondas de rádio; procedimentos neurocirúrgicos; articulação do joelho
• ISSN: 0102-3616; 1982-4378; 1982-4378
• DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1692121

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most frequent and incapacitating pathologies today, especially of the knee. Among the possible approaches for knee OA, the neurotomy of the genicular nerves by radiofrequency (RF) has been gaining prominence. However, as this is a relatively new procedure, indications for its implementation are still unclear. The objective of the present review is to identify the main indications of the use of RF for the treatment of knee OA in the medical literature. A review of the literature was performed in January 2018 through a search in the PubMed, ClinicalKey and Google Scholar databases. After reviewing the main articles on the subject, it was concluded that the main indications of the use of RF for the treatment of knee OA were: OA Kellgren-Lawrence grades 3 and 4, with moderate to severe pain and failure of conservative treatment, mainly in elderly people; persistence of pain even after total knee arthroplasty (TKA); patients with an indication for TKA who refuse to undergo surgical treatment.