ArticleEuropean radiology2022
Ultrasound-guided continuous radiofrequency ablation of the suprascapular nerve for chronic shoulder pain secondary to osteoarthritis: a retrospective cohort study.
Article in European radiology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.
- Ultrasound Guided Radiofrequency Ablation of Suprascapular Nerve for Shoulder Pain: A Novel Technique Description.Current pain and headache reports · 2026Review
- Ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks for osteoarthritis pain management: a review of the genicular, suprascapular, PENG and deep peroneal nerve blocks.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Review
- Radiofrequency Ablation and Pulsed Radiofrequency of Suprascapular Nerves for Managing Chronic Shoulder Pain.Brain sciences · 2025Article
- Breaking the Temperature Barrier: Lasting Pain Relief and Motor Recovery After 80°C Suprascapular Nerve Ablation.Cureus · 2025Article
- Efficacy of microwave ablationWorld journal of gastrointestinal surgery · 2025Article
- Ultrasound guided procedures in the musculoskeletal system: a narrative review with illustrative examples.Quantitative imaging in medicine and surgery · 2024Review
- Upper limb and lower limb radiofrequency treatments in orthopaedics.EFORT open reviews · 2023Review
- Repair of finger pulp defects using a free second toe pulp flap anastomosed with the palmar vein.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2022Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesThe objective of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the use of ultrasound-guided continuous radiofrequency (CRF) lesioning of the suprascapular nerve for treating chronic shoulder pain, due to osteoarthritis. We describe a modified distal and selective ablation technique in the spinoglenoid notch, with motor and sensory stimulation, which protects the motor branch of the nerve from ablation.
methodsA retrospective analysis was performed of patients, who underwent ultrasound-guided CRF lesioning of the suprascapular nerve from October 2013 to January 2020. During the procedure, the CRF electrode is placed in the spinoglenoid notch, at the distal suprascapular nerve capsular branch. Motor and sensory stimulations are used to confirm the position. CRF lesioning is applied up to three times, at 3 different points, for 1 min each time, at 80
resultsIn total, 127 first CRF suprascapular nerve lesioning procedures were performed on 101 patients with chronic shoulder pain secondary to osteoarthritis. One hundred nineteen diagnostic ultrasound-guided suprascapular nerve corticosteroid injections were performed prior to ablation. Mean pre-injection Visual Analogue Scale pain score (VAS) was 8.3, with post-injection VAS score of 4.4 at 24 h and 4.5 at 2 weeks. Mean pre-CRF lesioning VAS pain score was 7.7 with post-CRF lesioning VAS score of 4.4 at 24 h and 4.5 at 2 weeks.
conclusionsUltrasound-guided CRF lesioning of the suprascapular nerve in the spinoglenoid notch is a safe treatment for chronic osteoarthritic shoulder pain, with repeat treatments infrequently required. It is associated with significant improvement in VAS pain scores. KEY POINTS: • Ultrasound-guided continuous radiofrequency lesioning of the suprascapular nerve in the spinoglenoid notch is a safe treatment for chronic shoulder pain in degenerative disease, with repeat treatments infrequently required. • The procedure is performed under ultrasound guidance, without the use of ionising radiation.
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