Is nervus femoralis radiofrequency ablation an effective treatment for recalcitrant greater trochanteric pain syndrome? Results of a cross-sectional study - Scorecard - MDSpire
Advertisement
Is nervus femoralis radiofrequency ablation an effective treatment for recalcitrant greater trochanteric pain syndrome? Results of a cross-sectional study
Clinical Scorecard: Evaluating the Efficacy of Nervus Femoralis Radiofrequency Ablation for Persistent Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Analysis
At a Glance
Category
Detail
Condition
Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS)
Key Mechanisms
Targeted denervation of the nervus femoralis via radiofrequency ablation to interrupt nociceptive signals from the greater trochanter region
Target Population
Adults with recalcitrant lateral hip pain consistent with GTPS refractory to conservative treatments
Care Setting
Tertiary academic spine center outpatient setting
Key Highlights
55.6% of patients reported ≥50% reduction in Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) scores at an average follow-up of 13.1 months post NF-RFA.
70.4% of patients achieved at least a 2-point NPRS reduction, representing the minimally clinically important change.
Over half of patients reported being 'much improved' or 'very much improved' on the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) scale.
Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of GTPS should consider lateral hip pain with failure of conservative management including physical therapy, oral analgesics, and corticosteroid injections.
Management
Consider nervus femoralis radiofrequency ablation (NF-RFA) for patients with refractory GTPS who have not responded to conservative treatments.
NF-RFA is a minimally invasive procedure targeting sensory innervation to reduce pain and disability.
Monitoring & Follow-up
Assess pain reduction using Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and patient-reported outcomes such as Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) at least 6 months post-procedure.
Risks
Approximately 25% of patients may experience ongoing pain or return of index hip pain symptoms post-procedure.
Consider potential persistence of low back pain or disability unrelated to the hip.
Patient & Prescribing Data
25 patients (80% female, mean age 71.7 years, mean BMI 29.3 kg/m2) undergoing 27 NF-RFA procedures
NF-RFA demonstrated sustained pain relief with over half achieving significant pain reduction at 6+ months; majority would recommend the procedure despite some reporting persistent symptoms.
Clinical Best Practices
Select patients with persistent lateral hip pain consistent with GTPS refractory to conservative management for NF-RFA.
Use standardized pain and functional outcome measures (NPRS, PGIC) to evaluate treatment efficacy.
Provide patient education regarding potential benefits and the possibility of incomplete pain relief or symptom recurrence.
Consider NF-RFA as part of a multimodal approach to managing recalcitrant GTPS.
by Kristen Saad, Chase Young, Amanda N Cooper, Blake Dickenson, Richard Kendall, Allison Glinka Przybysz, Taylor Burnham, Zachary L McCormick, Aaron Conger
