Trial reportPain medicine (Malden, Mass.)2026
Effect of ultrasound-guided genicular nerve neurolysis versus sham procedure on pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized clinical trial.
Trial report in Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Chemical neurolysis in peripheral nerve blocks: are we ready for wider adoption as the elderly population expands?Annals of joint · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
importanceKnee osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent and disabling condition, especially in older adults. For patients who are not candidates for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) due to comorbidities or limited access to care, minimally invasive pain-relief options are critically needed.
objectiveTo assess the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided chemical neurolysis using 95% ethanol targeting four genicular nerves in patients with symptomatic knee OA who have not responded to conservative management.
designDouble-blind, randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial.
participantsA total of 100 adults with symptomatic knee OA, confirmed radiographically and unresponsive to conservative treatment, were enrolled and randomized.
interventionsPatients were randomized to receive ultrasound-guided chemical neurolysis of the superomedial, superolateral, recurrent tibial, and inferomedial genicular nerves with 95% ethanol (treatment group) or a sham procedure (control group). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was pain intensity measured by the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) at 7 days, 30 days, 3 months, and 6 months post-procedure. Secondary outcomes included opioid consumption and health-related quality of life measured by the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire. Safety outcomes focused on the occurrence of neurological complications. Analyses were conducted using an intention-to-treat approach with appropriate handling of missing data.
resultsPatients in the ethanol neurolysis group experienced significantly greater reductions in NRS scores at all follow-up points compared to the sham group (P < .0001). Opioid consumption was also significantly reduced in the neurolysis group throughout the 6-month period (P < .0001). Quality of life, as assessed by EQ-5D-5L, improved significantly in the treatment group (P < .0001). No neurological deficits or serious adverse events were reported in either group. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Ultrasound-guided chemical neurolysis of the SMGN, SLGN, RTGN, and IMGN with 95% ethanol is a safe and effective minimally invasive treatment for patients with refractory knee OA pain. It significantly reduces pain and opioid use while improving quality of life, making it a valuable therapeutic option for individuals ineligible for surgical intervention.
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