Preoperative Genicular Radiofrequency and Functional Outcomes After Total Knee Arthroplasty
Key facts
- Who runs it
- Anesthesiology department Iris South Hospitals
- Where
- Brussels, BelgiumSee the site
- Trial code
- Status
- Recruiting
- People taking part
- 44 people, planned
- Started
- 1 Jun 2026
- Expected to end
- Jun 2027
- Type of study
- Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets no study treatment, for comparison.
- Treatments tested
- Radiofrequency ablation of the genicular nerve, 42 degrees Celsius for 120 seconds
- Record updated
- 27 July 2026
Who can take part
- Age
- 18 years to 60 years
- Sex
- Women and men
- Healthy volunteers
- Cannot take part
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 20 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- Age between 18 and 60
- Elective total knee arthroplasty
- 2 to 6 weeks before the procedure; AND either of:
- BMI > 35
- Diabetes under insulin
- Anxiety disorder
- Treated depressive disorder
- Widespread pain disorder or central sensitisation disorder
- Chronic pain at a different site
- Catastrophising
- Sleep disorder
- preoperative EVA 7 or more
- OKS 25 or less
- WOMAC 50 or more
- Previous total knee arthroplasty (contralateral)
- Knee CRPS
Who cannot take part
- Previous prosthetic surgery on the same knee (i.e. redo surgery, open reduction internal fixation, knee hemiarthroplasty)
- Major psychiatric disorder (i.e. major depression, schizophrenia)
- Patient refusal
- Inability to communicate with the patient and obtain informed consent
Check if you might fit
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 60 years old?
Where in Belgium
- Iris South HospitalsBrussels, BelgiumContact: Stefano Doria, MDTaking people
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by progressive cartilage wear, leading to pain, stiffness, and joint swelling. It is highly prevalent in aging populations and is strongly associated with obesity and previous joint injury. OA affects millions of individuals worldwide, with incidence and prevalence increasing markedly with age and resulting in significant functional disability
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The primary therapeutic goals in the management of knee osteoarthritis are pain reduction and improvement of joint mobility.
Total knee arthroplasty is considered one of the most effective surgical interventions for relieving pain and restoring function in patients with severe knee osteoarthritis. Nevertheless, residual pain and limited functional improvement remain the most frequent causes of patient dissatisfaction following TKA
Genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation (GNRFA) has emerged as an innovative treatment option for symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. This technique has been shown to reduce pain and improve function, with clinical benefits often observed as early as one week after treatment. GNRFA consistently provides short-term pain relief (3 to 6 months) and, in some cases, longer-lasting benefits.
The hypothesis tested in this study is whether GNRFA performed at least two weeks preoperatively can reduce postoperative pain and improve postoperative function.
The 2 groups in the trial
- RadiofrequencyTreatment being tested
Patients in this arm will receive genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation between 2 to 6 weeks before undergoing elective total knee replacement
Treatment: Radiofrequency ablation of the genicular nerve, 42 degrees Celsius for 120 seconds
- ControlNo study treatment, for comparison
Patients in this group will not receive any intervention before undergoing elective total knee replacement
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorData and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Enhancing Functional Outcomes in Total Knee Arthroplasty: the Role of Preoperative Genicular Radiofrequency
- Fit questions
- Built from NCT07727551, who can take part
- Record updated
- 27 July 2026