Long-Term Follow-up of Radiofrequency to Articular Branches of the Femoral and Obturator Nerve in Chronic Hip Pain

Long-Term Follow-up of the Effect of Conventional Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation Application to the Articular Branches of the Femoral and Obturator Nerve on Pain and Functional Capacity in Patients With Chronic Hip Pain

It has been observed that the deterioration in the physical performance of the hip, the medical need before the specialist consultation and the deterioration in the health status can progress treatment[3]. When conservative treatment methods such as physical therapy and weight change, the use of walking aids (such as a cane) and analgesic agents are used, these interruptions usually provide short-term and partial benefits. After the application of medical treatment procedures, hip prostheses are usually separated. However, the additional diseases of the patients, the fact that the surgery is a major surgery and the mortality rate is high, and the life of the prostheses used are limited have led to the search for alternative pain palliation.

Hip joint radiofrequency thermocoagulation is a procedure performed in our clinic. In this study, we aimed to examine the long-term effects of hip RFT on pain and functional capacity changes in patients.

After obtaining hospital ethics committee approval, it was planned to retrospectively examine adult patients over the age of 18 who applied to the outpatient clinic of the Department of Algology, ADÜTF, between May 2021 and September 2023 and who underwent elective conventional radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) procedure to the articular branches of the femoral and obturator nerves due to chronic hip pain. The prospective studies conducted in our clinic titled "Treatment of chronic hip pain with conventional radiofrequency thermocoagulation to the articular branches of the femoral and obturator nerve" and "Comparison of Conventional Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation to the Articular Branches of the Femoral and Obturator Nerve in Chronic Hip Pain with Intra-Articular Steroid Injection and Pericapsular Nerve Group (PENG) Block" (theses of assistants Sevilay Şimşek Karaoğlu and Bilge Ergün, respectively) will include patients who underwent conventional RF. In the studies, patients who underwent elective conventional radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) to the articular branches of the femoral and obturator nerve were followed up for up to 6 months. The follow-up of the patients in our clinic is ongoing. In our study, the long-term follow-up of these patients will be evaluated retrospectively at 12 months and 24 months.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Being over 18 years of age
2. Having received written consent
3. Those with chronic hip pain lasting longer than 3 weeks

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Major psychiatric disease
2. Patients with lumbar pressure pain or referred pain
3. Patients using anticoagulant agents
4. Patients with infection in the area to be treated
5. Those with local anesthetic allergy
6. Those with betamethasone allergy
7. Pregnant women