Percutaneous pulsed radiofrequency ablation of articular nerves of the hip joint in patients with chronic hip pain refractory to conventional analgesics

Abstract

Objectives: Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) may be a risky proposition in patients with comorbidities, and they may require systemic analgesics for chronic hip pain (CHP). Since traditional pain medications may not provide complete pain relief or carry prohibitive adverse effects, pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) treatment of the hip articular nerves (HAN) has been proposed for effective clinical outcomes. We determined the efficacy of PRF-HAN in improvement in CHP compared to baseline pain on conventional systemic analgesics.

Methods: Between August 2015 and December 2021, 31 adult patients with severe comorbid conditions and excruciating chronic hip pain were subjected to a PRF-HAN procedure following a diagnostic block. All 31 patients received PRF of the articular branches of the femoral and obturator nerves. Demographic parameters, numerical rating scale (NRS), Harris Hip Score (HHS), WOMAC scores, the change of these scores from baseline, and any adverse effects were recorded before treatment and on day 1, 1st week, 6 weeks, and 6 months after treatment.

Results: All the patients who underwent the PRF-HAN reported a significant improvement in NRS, HHS, and WOMAC scores compared to the baseline values on day 1, at the end of the 1st week, and the 6th week (p<0.001). No adverse events were documented in the study post-procedure until the end of 6 months.

Conclusion: PRF-HAN is a strong alternative for chronic pain management and augments physical functioning and a return to daily activity in patients who would be deprived of arthroplasty considering associated comorbid conditions.