# Novel Ultrasound-Guided Radiofrequency Ablation of the Epicondylar Branch of the Posterior Cutaneous Nerve of the Forearm for Recalcitrant Lateral Epicondylosis

## TL;DR

A new ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation technique targeting a specific nerve branch is shown to improve pain and function in patients with persistent lateral epicondylosis.

## Contribution

The novel use of RFA targeting the epicondylar branch of the posterior cutaneous nerve for treating recalcitrant lateral epicondylosis is introduced.

## Key findings

- Two patients with persistent lateral epicondylosis showed significant pain and functional improvement after RFA.
- Improvement was observed as early as eight weeks post-treatment and sustained at five and seven months.
- RFA is proposed as a potential treatment option for recalcitrant cases of lateral epicondylosis.

## Abstract

This report describes a novel technique for the treatment of recalcitrant lateral epicondylosis (LE) by radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of the epicondylar branch of the posterior cutaneous nerve of the forearm (PCNF-BrEpi). Here, we describe two patients suffering from recalcitrant LE who were treated with ultrasound-guided RFA of the PCNF-BrEpi in the outpatient pain clinic setting. Patient follow-up was made at eight weeks, five months, and seven months. Numerical pain rating (NPR) for pain and Upper Extremity Functional Index-15 (UEFI-15) were obtained at baseline and at each of the follow-ups. Both patients reported significant improvement in their pain and function quickly. RFA may be a viable treatment option for recalcitrant LE. Larger comparative trials and further investigation are needed to establish results in comparison to conventional treatments and to validate RFA as a treatment option in recalcitrant LE.