Knee Genicular Nerve Radiofrequency Ablation
The various nerves in the knee joints are collectively called the genicular nerves. Using a knee genicular nerve block, our pain specialists at DOCS Health can determine if knee pain can be lessened by disabling these nerves. If a nerve block is successful, a longer-lasting option for pain relief may be recommended. We offer knee genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation at our medical center in Los Angeles.
Nerve radiofrequency ablation (RFA) uses heat energy from radiofrequency waves to destroy small amounts of nerve tissue. This procedure is used in various areas of the body to target nerves that cause chronic pain. An RF device delivers the energy through insulated needles directly to the targeted nerves. The energy burst lasts about 60-100 seconds. After the procedure, patients are monitored to determine if the ablation helped reduce the pain signals from the targeted area.
With knee genicular nerve RFA, the knee nerves are targeted. A nerve block injection is performed first using anesthesia and steroid medication to isolate the nerve that is causing pain. If the nerve block injection reduces pain by at least 50%, ablation may be an option to give pain relief for the patient.
Knee Pain Relief
Genicular nerve RFA can offer several months or longer of knee pain relief. The procedure is performed with a local anesthetic to numb the area. The RFA needles are image-guided to the specific nerves to deliver the energy burst. Once in place, the treatment takes less than two minutes to perform.
Knee genicular nerve RFA is minimally-invasive with a short recovery period. The knee may be sore from the procedure, but most patients can return to normal activities within a day or two. This procedure can offer months of pain relief, reducing the need for other types of pain medication.
If you have chronic knee pain and want to explore your treatment options, contact our team at DOCS Health. We are pain management specialists, offering advanced options in interventional pain treatments. Contact our medical center in Beverly Hills, CA, to schedule your knee pain consultation to learn more about knee genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation and other treatment possibilities.