A NEW TREND IN ORTHOPEDICS: RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION FOR THE TREATMENT OF INTRACTABLE PLANTAR FASCIITIS

Year 2024, Volume: 38 Issue: 2, 73 - 82, 28.08.2024

Toktamış Savaş , Sezgin B. Tekin , Edip Gönüllü , Çağrı Karabulut

https://doi.org/10.18614/deutip.1434684

Abstract

BACKGROUND: One of the most common causes of pain in the plantar region of the foot is plantar fasciitis (PF), for which there are numerous treatment options. Several invasive and non-invasive treatment modalities have been developed for this condition. One of these options for patients who do not respond to conservative treatment is radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Due to its early functional benefits and minimally invasive nature, RFA is believed to achieve successful clinical outcomes in patients with persistent early-stage PF. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and clinical outcomes of RFA in the treatment of PF.
METHODS: A total of 35 patients (46 feet), aged 31-50 years, who were treated with RFA from December 2018 to December 2019 were included in the study. AOFAS (American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) of patients who received conservative treatment for 3 months or longer and whose complaints persisted were pre-treatment (PrT) of RFA. These scores were re-evaluated after 3 months.
RESULTS: Among the patients in the study, 10 (28.57%) were male and 25 (71.43%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 40.43±5.37 years. The PrT and post-treatment (PsT) VAS scores were 8.97±1.36 and 5.89±3.66, respectively. The PrT and PsT AOFAS scores were 48.51±10.67 and 65.86±22.74, respectively. Statistical analyses showed that the clinical outcomes of RFA were significantly improved after treatment for both scores (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION: RFA, which is rapidly and long-term effective without disrupting the plantar fascia anatomy, is an important minimally invasive treatment option that can be preferred in patients with chronic PF.

Keywords

Radiofrequency ablation method, VAS, calcaneal spur, plantar fasciitis

Ethical Statement

The study protocol was approved by Scientific Research Ethics Committee of Gaziantep University Medical Faculty and the study was conducted in accordance with Declaration of Helsinki.

ORTOPEDİDE YENİ BİR TREND: İNATÇI PLANTAR FASİT TEDAVİSİ İÇİN RADYOFREKANS ABLASYON

Abstract

AMAÇ: Ayağın plantar bölgesindeki ağrının en yaygın nedenlerinden biri olan plantar fasiit (PF) için çok sayıda tedavi seçeneği bulunmaktadır. Bu durum için çeşitli invaziv ve non-invaziv tedavi yöntemleri geliştirilmiştir. Konservatif tedaviye yanıt vermeyen hastalar için bu seçeneklerden biri radyofrekans ablasyondur (RFA). Erken fonksiyonel faydaları ve minimal invaziv doğası nedeniyle, RFA'nın inatçı erken evre PF'li hastalarda başarılı klinik sonuçlar elde ettiğine inanılmaktadır. Bu çalışma, RFA'nın PF tedavisindeki etkinliğini ve klinik sonuçlarını değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır.
GEREÇ ve YÖNTEM: Çalışmaya Aralık 2018'den Aralık 2019'a kadar RFA ile tedavi edilen 31-50 yaş arası toplam 35 hasta (46 ayak) dahil edildi. RFA öncesi (PrT) 3 ay veya daha uzun süre konservatif tedavi alan ve şikayetleri devam eden hastaların AOFAS (American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society) ve Görsel Analog Skalası (VAS) değerlendirildi. Bu skorlar RFA sonrası (PsT) 3 ay sonra tekrar değerlendirilmiştir.
BULGUAR: Çalışmaya katılan hastaların 10'u (%28.57) erkek, 25'i (%71.43) kadındı. Hastaların yaş ortalaması 40.43±5.37 yıl idi. Tedavi öncesi ve sonrası VAS skorları sırasıyla 8.97±1.36 ve 5.89±3.66 idi. PrT ve PsT AOFAS skorları sırasıyla 48.51±10.67 ve 65.86±22.74 idi. İstatistiksel analizler RFA'nın klinik sonuçlarının her iki skor için de tedavi sonrasında anlamlı olarak iyileştiğini gösterdi (p<0.05).
SONUÇ: Plantar fasya anatomisini bozmadan hızlı ve uzun süreli etkili olan RFA, kronik PF'li hastalarda tercih edilebilecek önemli bir minimal invaziv tedavi seçeneğidir.

Keywords

radyofrekans ablasyon metodu, VAS, topuk dikeni, plantar fasiit

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