Successful Management of Chronic Shoulder Pain in a Nonagenarian Using Cooled Radiofrequency Ablation at the Suprascapular Notch

 

Eileen Wang MD,  Phillip Telefus MD 

 

Intro

Chronic shoulder pain in the elderly is a significant challenge, often compounded by comorbidities and age-related frailty. This case presents a multidisciplinary approach to managing a 94-year-old woman with severe chronic left shoulder pain, highlighting the use of cooled radiofrequency ablation (c-RFA).

 

Case Presentation

A 94-year-old woman presented to the pain clinic with a chief complaint of chronic left shoulder pain affecting her activities of daily living (ADLs) such as getting out of a chair, getting off the toilet, and eating. She had undergone two glenohumeral joint injections without significant relief and was deemed not a surgical candidate due to age and frailty. Her pain began years ago without any preceding injury or accident.