Clinical Observation Of Pulsed Radiofrequency In Treatment Of Knee Osteoarthritis

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of intra-articular pulsed radiofrequency on the pain caused by refractory knee osteoarthritis. Methods: 42 cases of patients (totally 67 knees) suffering the pain caused by severe knee osteoarthritis were randomly divided into two groups: group C and group R. Group C was treated with intraarticular injection of compound betamethasone; Group R was treated with intra-articular pulsed RF. Visual analogue scale (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC index), clinical effect and recurrence rate during follow-up, adverse reactions as well as the changes of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-a), matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) in synovial fluid of both groups were recorded at pre-treatment and 1, 4, 8, 12, 24 weeks after treatment respectively. All collected data were analyzed by SPSS 11.5 software. Results: Comparing with pre-treatment scores, the VAS and WOMAC scores at 1, 4, 8, 12 and 24 weeks after treatment were decreased significantly in both groups with group C significantly higher than group R; The total effective rate was 95.5% in group R comparing with 85.5% in group C, and there was significant difference between the two groups. After treatment, the recurrence rate of group C was significantly higher than that of group R, with statistical difference. No obvious adverse reactions occurred in all patients. After treatment, the content of TNF-alpha, MMP-3 and IL-1 in the synovial was significantly reduced in the patients of group R, and the reduced volume was significantly higher than that of group C, with significant difference. Conclusion: the effect of intra-articular pulsed RF treatment is obviously superior to the traditional compound betamethasone injection group in the treatment for refractory knee osteoarthritis; pulsed RF could obviously alleviate the clinical symptoms and decrease the content of TNF-alpha, MMP-3 and IL-1 in the synovial, in addition, it is safe and reliable, all of these make it an effective method for senile refractory knee osteoarthritis.