Effect of Additional Sural Nerve PRF in Chronic Heel Pain
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Pulsed radiofrequency.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Chronic Plantar Heel Pain, Plantar Fasciitis, Spur, Heel. Basic parameters: 18 years — 65 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Turkey (Türkiye)
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
Does Targeting the Sural Nerve in Addition to the Posterior Tibial Nerve Increase the Effectiveness of Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment in Chronic Plantar Heel Pain?
Overview
This observational study aims to compare the effectiveness of pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) treatment applied to the posterior tibial nerve alone versus PRF applied to both the posterior tibial and sural nerves in patients with chronic plantar heel pain. Outcomes will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) hindfoot score at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months after treatment.
Detailed description
Chronic plantar heel pain is a common condition frequently managed with interventional pain procedures. In routine clinical practice, pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) is commonly applied to the posterior tibial nerve under ultrasound guidance. In selected patients, PRF is additionally applied to the sural nerve based on clinical judgment.
This observational study includes patients who have already undergone PRF treatment as part of standard care in the Algology Clinic. Patients will not be randomized, and no modification to treatment plans will be made for study purposes. Patients will be divided into two groups: those who received PRF to the posterior tibial nerve alone, and those who received PRF to both the posterior tibial and sural nerves. Pain intensity and functional outcomes will be retrospectively evaluated and compared between groups.
Interventions
- Procedure Pulsed radiofrequency
Ultrasound-guided pulsed radiofrequency applied to the posterior tibial nerve, with or without additional application to the sural nerve.
Primary outcome measures
- VAS [Time frame: Baseline, 1 month, and 3 months post-procedure]
Secondary outcome measures (1)
- AOFAS [Time frame: Baseline, 1 month, and 3 months post-procedure]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
Age between 18 and 65 years
Presence of chronic plantar heel pain
Baseline VAS score >5
Exclusion criteria
History of foot fracture or tumor
Pregnancy
Coagulopathy or use of antiplatelet therapy
Cognitive impairment preventing informed consent
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
Study locations
Turkey (Türkiye) · 1 center
- Ayse Betul Acar — Ankara
Publications
- Agyekum EK, Ma K. Heel pain: A systematic review. Chin J Traumatol. 2015;18(3):164-9. doi: 10.1016/j.cjtee.2015.03.002. PMID 26643244
- Wu YT, Chang CY, Chou YC, Yeh CC, Li TY, Chu HY, Chen LC. Ultrasound-Guided Pulsed Radiofrequency Stimulation of Posterior Tibial Nerve: A Potential Novel Intervention for Recalcitrant Plantar Fasciitis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2017 May;98(5):964-970. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2017.01.016. Epub 2017 Feb 14. PMID 28209507
- Yildiz G, Perdecioglu GRG, Yuruk D, Can E, Akkaya OT. Comparison of tibial nerve pulsed radiofrequency and intralesional radiofrequency thermocoagulation in the treatment of painful calcaneal spur and plantar fasciitis: a randomized clinical trial. Pain Med. 2024 Aug 1;25(8):493-499. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnae029. PMID 38652568
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07383558 · Sural-Posterior Tibial PRF