Genicular Block

WHAT IS A GENICULAR NERVE BLOCK AND RADIOFRQUENCY ABLATION?

The genicular nerve block and RFA are a proven and popular procedure to combat knee pain. The specialist interventional pain management physicians at Interventional Pain Solutions perform this procedure for treating patients with knee pain without surgery. Genicular Nerve Block can be done before if the hopes of preventing surgery or after knee surgery to offer pain relief.

This state-of-the-art procedure relieves pain in patients experiencing knee pain due to any of the  following conditions:

• Chronic Knee Pain
• Degenerative Joint Disease (of the knee)
• Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee
• Prior to or following a total knee replacement
• Prior to or following a partial knee replacement
• Patients unfit for knee replacement
• Patients who wish to avoid a knee replacement

The procedure is performed in 2 stages:

• Diagnostic Genicular Nerve Block – this procedure consists of placing a small amount of a local anesthetic, on the genicular nerves. This tests the patient’s response and determines if there is sufficient pain relief in the knee to justify performing a therapeutic neurotomy
• Genicular Nerve Ablation – during this therapeutic portion of treatment, your pain management physician will perform a radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of the genicular nerves, restoring function of the knee and alleviating pain.

WHAT IS AN EPIDURAL STEROID INJECTION?

The actual injection takes only a few minutes. Please allow about an hour for the procedure; this will include talking to your doctor before the procedure, signing the informed consent, positioning in the room, and observation by the recovery room nurse afterwards.

WHAT MEDICINES ARE INJECTED?

The injection consists of a small amount of long acting local anesthetic and a corticosteroid.