Research Demonstrated the Treatment Outcomes of Pulsed Radiofrequency Therapy According to its Application Duration, Providing Evidence in an Area Where No Clear Clinical Guidelines Had Previously Existed

▲Professor Chan-Sik Kim of the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at Asan Medical Center

Professor Chan-Sik Kim of the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at Asan Medical Center recently received the SCI(E) Scientific Award at the 80th International Congress of the Korean Pain Society.

The SCI(E) Scientific Award recognizes research published in SCI indexed journals over the past year that has made a significant contribution to advancing the field.

Professor Chan-Sik Kim was honored with the award for his research on pulsed radiofrequency therapy in patients with chronic lumbar radicular pain. The study was published in Neuromodulation in February this year, a leading international journal in the field of neuromodulation, and was recognized for its excellence.

Pulsed radiofrequency therapy is a treatment that reduces pain by applying a strong electric field near the affected nerve. It is mainly used for patients with chronic radicular pain caused by inflammation and compression of the nerve root branching from the spinal cord due to conditions such as herniated disc or spinal canal stenosis.

Although pulsed radiofrequency therapy has typically been performed for six minutes, there have been no clear guidelines on the optimal duration of the procedure. As a result, there has been ongoing debate within the academic community about whether extending the duration would lead to greater pain reduction.

Contrary to common expectations, Professor Kim reported that increasing the duration of pulsed radiofrequency therapy from six minutes to twelve minutes does not provide additional pain relief. His findings further showed that extending the duration may increase the risk of subtle nerve injury.

This study is the first double blind randomized trial to clarify how the duration of pulsed radiofrequency therapy affects its therapeutic outcomes.

Professor Chan-Sik Kim specializes in the diagnosis and interventional management of chronic pain, including neuropathic pain and cervical and lumbar radicular pain, and has published a wide range of research in these fields. In recognition of his contributions, he received the Young Researcher Award from the Korean Pain Society last year and has now been honored with a scientific award for the second consecutive year.