{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T00:41:37Z","timestamp":1790642497535,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"19","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,26]],"date-time":"2025-09-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1758844800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.mdpi.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and cryoanalgesia are minimally invasive procedures used when conservative medical management fails and there are positive diagnostic blocks. Although both radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and cryoanalgesia are straightforward techniques, the increasing workload of physicians is leading to less time available for patient interaction, including addressing questions about indications, feasibility, long-term effectiveness, and potential complications. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, such as ChatGPT, have the potential to reduce physician burden and enhance patient education. Methods: An expert panel compiled thirteen frequently asked questions about RFA and cryoanalgesia, which were subsequently submitted to ChatGPT-4.0. The AI-generated responses were evaluated by 41 participants, including pain physicians, healthcare professionals, and non-healthcare individuals. The Likert scale was used for evaluating the responses, focusing on reliability, accuracy, and comprehensibility using predefined acceptability thresholds. Results: Across all 13 questions, ChatGPT\u2019s responses demonstrated high overall reliability, with a mean score of 4.9 \u00b1 0.7. The mean accuracy score was 2.6 \u00b1 0.3, suggesting alignment with evidence-based standards. Comprehensibility was rated at 2.7 \u00b1 0.2 on average. Pre-procedural questions achieved the highest scores, while post-procedural questions posed more challenges for ChatGPT. Conclusions: ChatGPT demonstrated potential as an adjunct tool for patient education on RFA and cryoanalgesia. Improvements in procedural specificity and medical accuracy are needed before routine clinical implementation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14196814","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,26]],"date-time":"2025-09-26T11:28:32Z","timestamp":1758886112000},"page":"6814","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Assessing Artificial Intelligence-Powered Responses to Common Patient Questions on Radiofrequency Ablation and Cryoanalgesia for Chronic Pain"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2705-1548","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giuliano","family":"Lo Bianco","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Fondazione Istituto \u201cG. Giglio\u201d Cefal\u00f9, 90015 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5236-3132","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marco","family":"Cascella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry \u201cScuola Medica Salernitana\u201d, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Silvia","family":"Natoli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical-Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy"},{"name":"Pain Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Francesco","family":"D\u2019Angelo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Emergency, University Hospital Policlinico Paolo Giaccone, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Emanuele","family":"Sinagra","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Fondazione Istituto San Raffaele Giglio, 90015 Cefal\u00f9, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3286-9531","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maurizio","family":"Marchesini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Mater Olbia Hospital, 07026 Olbia, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4762-2312","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emanuele","family":"Piraccini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit of Pain Management, Emergency Department, AUSL Bologna, 40033 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2217-7942","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Tinnirello","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anesthesia and Pain Management Unit, ASST Franciacorta, Iseo Hospital, 25049 Brescia, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Felice","family":"Occhigrossi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pain Therapy Unit, San Giovanni-Addolorata Hospital, 00184 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cesare","family":"Gregoretti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Fondazione Istituto \u201cG. Giglio\u201d Cefal\u00f9, 90015 Palermo, Italy"},{"name":"Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences \u201cUniCamillus\u201d, 00131 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6276-9056","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christopher","family":"Robinson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1243","DOI":"10.2147\/JPR.S406714","article-title":"Radiofrequency Ablation for Chronic Lumbar Zygapophyseal Joint Pain Using a V-Shaped Active Tip Needle: An Observational Retrospective Study","volume":"16","author":"Misseri","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. 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