Predictors of Success After Intercostal Nerve Radiofrequency Treatment for Intercostal Neuralgia

This retrospective cohort study will review medical records of patients treated with intercostal nerve radiofrequency for intercostal neuralgia. The goal is to identify patient and clinical factors that are associated with treatment success after the procedure. Outcomes will be assessed using pain measures documented during routine follow-up visits, along with any recorded adverse events. No additional visits, tests, or interventions are required because this study uses previously collected clinical data.

This retrospective cohort study analyzed anonymized medical records of adults (≥18 years) with intercostal neuralgia (post-traumatic, postherpetic, or idiopathic) treated in Pain Clinic of Mersin University Faculty of Medicine who underwent ultrasound-guided intercostal conventional radiofrequency ablation (CRF) or pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) between January 1, 2018 and May 30, 2025. Primary outcome is treatment response at 6 months, defined by IMMPACT criteria as a ≥50% reduction or ≥4-point decrease in NRS-11 from baseline; secondary outcomes include changes in NRS-11 over time, and exploratory analyses evaluate whether clinical factors (e.g., age, sex, pain duration, diagnosis, presence of allodynia, and number of treated intercostal levels )are associated with response using multivariable logistic regression (p \< 0.05 considered statistically significant). The findings are expected to clarify which patient and clinical characteristics are linked to better outcomes after intercostal nerve radiofrequency and to support more individualized decision-making in the management of intercostal neuralgia.