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.

RFA is often used to reduce chronic pain that has not been adequately addressed by physical therapy, medications, or injections. It works best for pain that comes from specific sensory nerves rather than pain caused by muscle strain, active inflammation, or widespread nerve damage. Before recommending RFA, clinicians typically confirm that the targeted nerves are the source of pain using diagnostic nerve blocks. These temporary injections numb a specific nerve to see if pain is reduced, indicating whether RFA could provide more lasting relief.

Doctors also recommend RFA for a variety of other conditions. For cancer care, RFA targets small tumors or abnormal tissue (tumor ablation) when surgery is not an option or as part of a broader treatment plan. As a type of cardiac ablation, RFA treats certain heart rhythm disorders by correcting irregular electrical pathways.

You may be a candidate for radiofrequency ablation if you have:

• Arthritis pain
• Benign or malignant tumors in organs like the liver, kidney, lungs, or thyroid
• Cancer pain
• Chronic facial pain, caused by trigeminal neuralgia
• Chronic musculoskeletal pain in your back, neck, knee, hip, or joints
• Heart rhythm disorders, such as cardiac arrhythmia or AFib
• Peripheral nerve pain

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. For example, it damages part of a nerve that sends pain signals, or it destroys abnormal or cancerous cells. Most people feel only mild pressure during treatment. The whole visit typically takes under an hour, and many people show improvement within days.

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. Most people can return to light activities the same day and resume normal activity 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 other conditions, such as cancer or cardiac treatments, your doctor will advise you on any next steps in your care journey.