Papers of the Week

Cryoneurolysis is a potential therapy for peripheral mononeuropathies, but randomized studies of its effects on the duration of pain reduction are lacking. This retrospective cohort study evaluated the analgesic effects of cryoneurolysis on patients with refractory peripheral mononeuropathy. We included 24 patients who underwent ultrasound-guided cryoneurolysis between June 2018 and July 2022. The daily maximum pain level was recorded using a numerical rating scale before and 1, 3 and 6 months after the procedure. At 1 month, 54.2% of patients reported pain reduction of at least 30%. This percentage was significantly lower at 3 and 6 months (13.8 and 9.1%, respectively). Our results suggest that repeated cryoneurolysis may be a viable treatment for refractory mononeuropathy. Further investigations are needed.