Suprascapular Nerve PRF in Chronic Shoulder Pain (SUPRA-PRF)

March 29, 2026 updated by: Ayşe Merve Ata, Ankara City Hospital Bilkent

Comparison of Suprascapular Notch and Midpoint Approaches in Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment of the Suprascapular Nerve on Pain and Function in Patients With Chronic Shoulder Pain

This study aims to compare the effects of pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) treatment of the suprascapular nerve using suprascapular notch and midpoint approaches on pain, shoulder function, and muscle strength in patients with chronic shoulder pain due to rotator cuff tendinopathy. Patients will be randomly assigned to one of the two intervention groups. Clinical evaluations will include pain assessment using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), functional assessment using the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and quality of life assessment using the Short Form-36 (SF-36). In addition, shoulder range of motion will be measured goniometrically, muscle thickness of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus will be evaluated by ultrasonography, and shoulder muscle strength will be assessed using an isokinetic dynamometer. Assessments will be performed at baseline, 24 hours, 1 month, and 3 months after the intervention. The results of this study are expected to provide evidence regarding the optimal approach for PRF treatment of the suprascapular nerve in patients with chronic shoulder pain.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Chronic shoulder pain is a common musculoskeletal condition that significantly affects daily activities and quality of life. Rotator cuff tendinopathy is one of the most frequent causes of chronic shoulder pain. The suprascapular nerve plays a key role in shoulder pain transmission, and pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) of the suprascapular nerve has emerged as an effective minimally invasive treatment option.

Different anatomical approaches have been described for suprascapular nerve interventions, including the suprascapular notch and midpoint approaches. However, there is limited evidence comparing the clinical and functional outcomes of these approaches.

The aim of this prospective, randomized study is to compare the effects of PRF applied to the suprascapular nerve via suprascapular notch and midpoint approaches in patients with chronic shoulder pain due to rotator cuff tendinopathy. Patients will be randomly allocated into two groups according to the intervention approach.

Clinical evaluations will include pain assessment using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), functional evaluation using the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and quality of life assessment using the Short Form-36 (SF-36). In addition, shoulder range of motion will be measured goniometrically. Muscle thickness of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus will be assessed using ultrasonography, and shoulder muscle strength will be evaluated using an isokinetic dynamometer.

Assessments will be performed at baseline, 24 hours, 1 month, and 3 months following the intervention. The primary outcome of the study is the change in shoulder muscle strength, while secondary outcomes include pain, functional status, and muscle thickness.

The findings of this study are expected to contribute to the literature by identifying the optimal anatomical approach for suprascapular nerve PRF in the management of chronic shoulder pain.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

32

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients aged between 40 and 80 years
  • Patients with chronic shoulder pain lasting longer than 3 months
  • Patients diagnosed with rotator cuff-related shoulder pain
  • Patients who show at least 50% pain reduction after diagnostic suprascapular nerve block
  • Patients who provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Adhesive capsulitis
  • Previous shoulder surgery
  • Full-thickness rotator cuff tear
  • Neurological disorders affecting the shoulder
  • Pacemaker
  • Coagulopathy or anticoagulant therapy contraindicating intervention
  • Infection at the injection site
  • Severe systemic disease
  • Pregnancy
  • Inability to comply with study protocol

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Suprascapular Notch PRF
Participants in this group will receive pulsed radiofrequency treatment of the suprascapular nerve via the suprascapular notch approach under ultrasound guidance.
Procedure: PRF of the Suprascapular Nerve (Notch Approach)
Pulsed radiofrequency treatment will be applied to the suprascapular nerve via the suprascapular notch approach under ultrasound guidance using standard clinical parameters.
Experimental: Midpoint PRF
Participants in this group will receive pulsed radiofrequency treatment of the suprascapular nerve via the midpoint approach under ultrasound guidance.
Procedure: PRF of the Suprascapular Nerve (Midpoint Approach)
Pulsed radiofrequency treatment will be applied to the suprascapular nerve via the midpoint approach under ultrasound guidance using standard clinical parameters.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Isokinetic Shoulder Abduction Peak Torque
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 months
Isokinetic peak torque of shoulder abduction will be measured using an isokinetic dynamometer (ISOMED 2000). Measurements will be performed to evaluate changes in muscle strength.
Baseline and 3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Pain Intensity (NPRS)
Time Frame: Baseline, 24 hours, 1 month, and 3 months
Pain intensity will be assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain).
Baseline, 24 hours, 1 month, and 3 months
Supraspinatus and Infraspinatus Muscle Thickness
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 months
Muscle thickness will be measured using ultrasonography to evaluate structural changes in the rotator cuff muscles.
Baseline and 3 months
Shoulder Range of Motion (ROM)
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 months
Shoulder joint range of motion will be measured using a goniometer.
Baseline and 3 months
Shoulder Function (SPADI)
Time Frame: Baseline, 1 month, and 3 months
Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) will be used to assess pain and functional status. SPADI is a validated questionnaire consisting of 13 items with a total score ranging from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate greater pain and disability (worse outcome).
Baseline, 1 month, and 3 months
Quality of Life (SF-36)
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 months
Health-related quality of life will be assessed using the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire. SF-36 consists of 8 domains, each scored from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate better health status (better outcome).
Baseline and 3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Ankara City Hospital Bilkent

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Ayşe Merve Ata, MD, Ankara City Hospital Bilkent

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

April 10, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 30, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

August 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 25, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 25, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

March 30, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 3, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 29, 2026

Last Verified

March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • TABED 1-26-2295 (Other Identifier: Ethics Committee of Ankara Bilkent City Hospital)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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