-Each patient received a single round of three genicular nerve blocks (superior lateral, superior medial, and inferior medial branches) with our alternative technique.

-Patient were followed up to assess the efficacy of these nerve blocks and any subsequent related procedures that came as a result of these blocks (i.e. RFA).

 

Genicular Nerve blocks can be done in a more efficient manner using less radiation and minimizing patient discomfort, without sacrificing results

 

To date, two of these patients had equivalent outcomes when compared to previous/contralateral procedures performed with the traditional approach. The third patient had significant relief with the newly proposed nerve block technique and had successful subsequent RFA

 

The proposed technique was subjectively better tolerated, preferred by each patient, and had results that met the standard of traditional anterior-posterior approach. Due to decreased procedural pain, decreased amount of fluoroscopic imaging, and decreased procedural time, we believe this approach to be superior to the traditional anterior-posterior approach to genicular nerve blocks. Furthermore, our approach may prove to be a safer than the anterior posterior approach as there is less tissue disturbance, and therefore present potentially less risk, but this would require further investigation and studies to verify.

 

It should be noted that this approach has only been employed for the nerve block procedure. Thus, no conclusions can be drawn about its application for RFA and the traditional approach should still be used until further investigation.