What is radiofrequency ablation?
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive procedure that uses heat to treat various conditions, including chronic pain, tumors, and cardiac issues. By applying targeted thermal energy generated by radio waves, RFA can “switch off” specific nerves to eliminate pain, destroy abnormal tissues to treat cancer, or disrupt electrical pathways in the heart to regulate them.
At Penn Medicine, specialists across multiple disciplines, including orthopaedics, interventional radiology, cardiology, and oncology, provide advanced treatment options, including RFA. This nonsurgical approach helps avoid damaging healthy tissue and speeds recovery time, so you heal quickly.
Who benefits from RFA?
Radiofrequency ablation can treat a range of conditions by targeting the exact source of a problem, whether that’s a nerve, growth, or abnormal tissue. It’s often used when symptoms don’t improve with other treatments or when surgery isn’t the best option. Your care team will work closely with you to decide if RFA is the right approach for your needs.
RFA can ease long-lasting joint pain caused by arthritis in the spine, knees, hips, and shoulders. It targets the nerves that carry pain signals to the brain. Blocking those signals may reduce discomfort and improve movement for months or longer.
Ongoing pain in the back, neck, sacroiliac joints, and other areas can often be treated with RFA. Before the procedure, a temporary numbing injection (nerve block) helps confirm the source of pain. Once identified, RFA can provide longer-lasting relief.
Peripheral nerve pain happens when nerves outside the brain and spinal cord become damaged or irritated, causing burning, tingling, or sharp pain. RFA targets the affected nerve to help reduce those signals.
For severe facial pain, including trigeminal neuralgia, RFA can treat small branches of the affected nerve. This may reduce sudden, intense pain episodes while preserving normal sensation as much as possible.
When tumors press on nerves or bones, they can cause ongoing pain. RFA targets the nerves responsible for those signals, which may help improve comfort and daily quality of life.
RFA can destroy certain tumors, both noncancerous and cancerous, in organs like the liver, kidney, lung, and thyroid. When used to treat cancer, the procedure is known as tumor ablation. Using imaging for guidance, a specialist places a small probe into the tumor and applies heat to break down abnormal cells while limiting harm to surrounding tissue. It may be used instead of surgery or alongside other treatments.
RFA offers a minimally invasive way to treat uterine fibroids that cause symptoms. Heat is applied directly to the fibroid, causing it to shrink over time. The body gradually absorbs the treated tissue, often leading to less menstrual bleeding, reduced pelvic pressure, and fewer urinary symptoms within a few months.
Penn Medicine also offers advanced RFA options for fibroid treatment. The Acessa® system uses small incisions to treat fibroids through the abdomen. The Sonata® system is incision-free and reaches fibroids through the cervix using ultrasound guidance. Princeton Medical Center is currently the only provider in the region offering Sonata.
RFA is a type of cardiac ablation used to treat irregular heart rhythms, including atrial fibrillation (AFib), atrial flutter, and supraventricular tachycardia. A heart specialist uses heat to create very small scars that block abnormal electrical signals and help restore a more regular heartbeat.
What to expect from radiofrequency ablation
The RFA procedure is done on an outpatient basis, usually with local anesthesia and light sedation. You will lie on a table while your provider inserts a thin needle guided by imaging technology to deliver heat directly to the source of the problem. Radiofrequency energy then heats the targeted area, creating a mild lesion that disrupts the dysfunction at its source.
Most people feel only mild pressure during treatment. The whole visit typically takes under an hour, and many people show improvement within days.
Recovering from RFA
Recovery can vary depending on the condition being treated and the area of the body involved. Some people may have soreness, swelling, or bruising at the treatment site for a few days after RFA, or they may experience a brief increase in pain. Those undergoing fibroid ablation may experience mild cramping or spotting. Most people can return to light activities on the same day and resume normal routines over the next week as tolerated. Short-term numbness or tingling usually improves as the area heals.
Pain relief from RFA can last several months or even up to a year or more, depending on the individual and the area treated. If RFA is used for conditions like cancer or cardiac treatments, your doctor will advise you on any next steps in your care journey.
Targeted relief, faster recovery
Penn Medicine brings together specialists from across disciplines to create a plan for RFA treatment that fits your needs.
People choose to partner with us because we offer:
- Experienced teams: Specialists in pain care, imaging, gynecologic health, heart care, and cancer work together to coordinate your treatment.
- Advanced techniques: We use the latest RFA approaches to treat conditions while limiting damage to healthy tissue.
- Fibroid expertise: Multiple RFA treatment options are available for uterine fibroids.
- Precise treatment: Advanced imaging helps target the exact source of symptoms.
- Faster recovery: Because RFA is minimally invasive, many people return to normal activities sooner.
- Connected care: If you need additional treatment, you have access to a full range of services across Penn Medicine.
Our goal is to help you find lasting relief with as little disruption to your daily life as possible.
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