Phenol Neurolysis of Genicular Nerves for Chronic Knee Pain
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2023-03-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Chronic knee pain from osteoarthritis (OA) is commonly treated with total knee arthroplasty
(TKA) when conservative therapies fail to provide pain relief. More than 600,000 TKAs are
performed in the U.S. annually, a number that continues to increase. A logistic-regression
model suggests that the incidence rate of TKA will increase by 143% in the United States by
2050 compared to 2012. Although TKA is successful in reducing knee pain and joint stiffness
in most cases, it can be associated with a 7-35% incidence of persistent refractory
post-surgical knee pain.
Aim:
To determine whether chemical neurolysis of the genicular nerves with 6% aqueous phenol is
non-inferior in reducing knee pain as compared to corticosteroid injection of the genicular
nerves, in patients with refractory chronic knee pain for more than 6 months after total knee
replacement.
Hypothesis:
Chemical neurolysis of genicular nerves with phenol will provide equal or superior pain
relief than corticosteroid genicular nerve injections at 3 months, as measured by the Oxford
Knee Score.