A NEW TREND IN ORTHOPEDICS: RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION FOR THE TREATMENT OF INTRACTABLE PLANTAR FASCIITIS

BACKGROUND: One of the most common causes of pain in the plantar region of the foot is plantar fasciitis (PF), for which there are numerous treatment options. Several invasive and non-invasive treatment modalities have been developed for this condition. One of these options for patients who do not respond to conservative treatment is radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Due to its early functional benefits and minimally invasive nature, RFA is believed to achieve successful clinical outcomes in patients with persistent early-stage PF. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and clinical outcomes of RFA in the treatment of PF. METHODS: A total of 35 patients (46 feet), aged 31-50 years, who were treated with RFA from December 2018 to December 2019 were included in the study. AOFAS (American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) of patients who received conservative treatment for 3 months or longer and whose complaints persisted were pre-treatment (PrT) of RFA. These scores were re-evaluated after 3 months. RESULTS: Among the patients in the study, 10 (28.57%) were male and 25 (71.43%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 40.43±5.37 years. The PrT and post-treatment (PsT) VAS scores were 8.97±1.36 and 5.89±3.66, respectively. The PrT and PsT AOFAS scores were 48.51±10.67 and 65.86±22.74, respectively. Statistical analyses showed that the clinical outcomes of RFA were significantly improved after treatment for both scores (p