Current Concepts and Future Directions of Minimally Invasive Treatment for Knee Pain

Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2018 Jul 23;20(9):54. doi: 10.1007/s11926-018-0765-x.

Abstract

Purpose of review: The purpose of this paper is to review the percutaneous interventions available for the treatment of osteoarthrosis of the knee that address pain and prolong the time to arthroplasty.

Recent findings: Corticosteroid injection and viscosupplementation have been the most studied, but there is still no consensus about their value. Thermal nerve ablation, including both radiofrequency ablation and cryoneurolysis, is a promising new modality of therapy that may increase in clinical use given current data showing favorable outcomes. Of the future therapies that are currently under investigation, synovial embolization via the geniculate arteries represents an exciting new approach that may soon be available clinically. There are various percutaneous interventions available for the treatment of osteoarthrosis of the knee that address pain and prolong the time to arthroplasty.

Keywords: Corticosteroids; Cryotherapy; Geniculate artery embolization; Injectable therapies; Injectables; Injection; Knee pain; Osteoarthritis; PRP; Platelet-rich plasma; Radiofrequency nerve ablation; Thermal ablation; Viscosupplementation.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Chronic Pain / therapy*
  • Denervation / methods
  • Embolization, Therapeutic / methods
  • Glucocorticoids / administration & dosage
  • Humans
  • Injections, Intra-Articular
  • Knee Joint / blood supply
  • Knee Joint / innervation
  • Osteoarthritis, Knee / therapy*
  • Pain Management / methods
  • Platelet-Rich Plasma
  • Viscosupplementation / methods

Substances

  • Glucocorticoids