title: Percutaneous cryoanalgesia in pain management: a case-series.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cryoanalgesia, also known as cryoneuroablation or cryoneurolysis, is a specialized technique for providing long-term pain relief.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present here retrospective data on pain relief and changes in function after cryoanalgesia techniques: we describe the effect of this procedure on articular facet syndromes, sacroiliac pain and knee pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We reviewed the records of 18 patients with articular lumbar facet pain, knee pain and sacroiliac pain. The Visual Analog Scale and Patient's Global Impression of Change scale show satisfaction at 1 month after cryoablation, with the best scores after three months. Only three patients showed a worse condition than the first month.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of patients experienced a clinically relevant degree of pain relief and improved function following percutaneous cryoanalgesia.
authors.affiliation: Pain Management Unit, San Carlo Clinic, Paderno Dugnano (MI), Italy. Bellini_martina@libero.it.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bellini
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barbieri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods*; D001416:Back Pain / Q000628:therapy; D017679:Cryotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012446:Sacroiliac Joint; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D021801:Zygapophyseal Joint
keywords: cryoanalgesia; cryoneuroablaton; cryoneurolysis; pain