US-guided cryoneurolysis is less-invasive option for nerve pain

Ultrasound-guided cryoneurolysis could be a less-invasive alternative to other methods of nerve ablation, as nonmyelin fibers and vessels are spared, according to this scientific session from New York City researchers.

Dr. Talia Friedman, of Cornell University Hospital for Special Surgery, and colleagues conducted a study to determine whether ultrasound-guided cryoneurolysis could be an effective treatment for chronic peripheral nerve pain, offering an alternative to surgical and percutaneous procedures such as radiofrequency and alcohol ablation.

The study involved 20 patients with lesions, including Morton neuromas, postsurgical/traumatic neuromas, and idiopathic neuralgia; mean pain score was 6.7 on a scale of 1 to 10.

Of the 20 patients, 15 had a positive response to cryoneurolysis, according to Friedman's group, leading the team to conclude that the technique could be considered a reasonable option for performing neurolytic therapy.