Medical Information Only. Always consult your healthcare provider before enrolling in any clinical trial.
Does Radiofrequency Ablation of the Articular Nerves of the Knee Prior to Total Knee Replacement Improve Pain Outcomes
NCT02746874 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
More than 300,000 total knee joint replacement surgeries are performed per year in the United States and safe, effective management of post-operative pain in these patients, often elderly, deconditioned, obese, or with co-morbid diseases like sleep apnea, can be challenging and often require a multidisciplinary, multimodal approach. Opiates have been a mainstay of treatment in the post-operative period with varying degrees of success and complications. Inadequately controlled postoperative pain is not uncommon. Poorly controlled pain inhibits early mobilization and hinders post-operative physical therapy. A new paradigm for treating post-operative pain following total knee replacement may be the use of cooled radiofrequency ablation (C-RFA) of the articular sensory nerve supply of the knee capsule prior to surgery, to desensitize the knee by blocking sensory afferents to the anterior capsule and thereby decrease post-operative pain. There are several publications that have demonstrated the use of RFA in patients with chronic knee pain from osteoarthritis however the use of RFA in the preoperative management of pain in patients undergoing total knee joint replacement has not been investigated. The aim of this study is to determine if patients undergoing unilateral total knee replacement obtain any post-operative pain relieving benefits from C-RFA of the articular sensory nerve supply when performed prior to surgery, as compared to sham controls who receive only local anesthetic injections of these same nerves without the benefit of ablation treatment.
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- PROCEDURE Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)
- PROCEDURE Simulated Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)
Study Locations (1)
Illinois
- Anesthesiology Pain Medicine Center — Chicago
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 70 participants |
| Start Date | 2016-12-01 |
| Est. Completion | 2017-12-31 |
| Phase | NA |
Interested in This Trial?
Always speak with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.
Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT02746874
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT02746874 describes a study currently listed as completed. It is categorized as NA, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 70 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is Northwestern University, which has 1,033 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 1 condition, with Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 2 interventions — of which Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.
Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT02746874 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include Illinois. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT02746874 about?
NCT02746874 is a clinical study titled "Does Radiofrequency Ablation of the Articular Nerves of the Knee Prior to Total Knee Replacement Improve Pain Outcomes". More than 300,000 total knee joint replacement surgeries are performed per year in the United States and safe, effective management of post-operative pain in these patients, often elderly, deconditioned, obese, or with co-morbid diseases like sleep apnea, can be challenging and often require a multi...
What is the current status of trial NCT02746874?
This trial is currently completed. It is a NA study. The enrollment target is 70 participants. The study started on 2016-12-01. Estimated completion is 2017-12-31.
What conditions does trial NCT02746874 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT02746874?
The interventions under investigation include: Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) (PROCEDURE), Simulated Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) (PROCEDURE). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT02746874?
This trial is sponsored by Northwestern University, which has 1,033 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT02746874 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across Illinois. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
Learn More About Clinical Trials
How Clinical Trials Work
Understand phases 1-4, trial design, randomization, and the informed consent process.
Patient Rights in Clinical Trials
Your rights as a participant: consent, withdrawal, privacy, and who to contact.
Finding the Right Clinical Trial
A practical guide to searching trials, understanding eligibility, and evaluating options.
All Guides
Browse our complete library of clinical trial educational resources.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.