Comparison of Heated vs. Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment of the Genicular Nerves for Osteoarthritis Knee Pain

This is a prospective, randomised, interventional, double blinded study to compare the clinical outcomes of thermal vs. pulsed radiofrequency (RF) treatment of the genicular nerves in patients with painful osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Population: 60 patients, aged 50 and above, with painful OA of the knee. Interventional measures: Pulsed or heated RF treatment of the genicular nerves of the involved knee. Outcome measures: primary - fraction of patients experiencing improvement of 50% or higher in their average pain rating during stair climbing. secondary - improved quality of life * improved functional capacity * comparison of side effects and adverse events * change in the consumption of analgesic medications