Ultrasound-guided shoulder injections in the treatment of subacromial bursitis

• Published in: American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation Vol. 85; no. 1; p. 31
• Main Authors: Chen, Max J L, Lew, Henry L, Hsu, Tsz-Ching, Tsai, Wen-Chung, Lin, Wei-Ching, Tang, Simon F T, Lee, Ya-Chen, Hsu, Rex C H, Chen, Carl P C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.2006
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Bursitis - complications; Bursitis - diagnostic imaging; Bursitis - drug therapy; Bursitis - physiopathology; Drug Combinations; Female; Humans; Injections, Intra-Articular - methods; Lidocaine - administration & dosage; Male; Middle Aged; Range of Motion, Articular - drug effects; Shoulder Pain - diagnostic imaging; Shoulder Pain - drug therapy; Shoulder Pain - etiology; Shoulder Pain - physiopathology; Single-Blind Method; Steroids - administration & dosage; Treatment Outcome; Ultrasonography - methods
• ISSN: 0894-9115
• DOI: 10.1097/01.phm.0000184158.85689.5e

To investigate the treatment effectiveness between ultrasound-guided and blind injection techniques in the treatment of subacromial bursitis. A total of 40 patients with sonographic confirmation of subacromial bursitis were recruited into this study. These patients were divided into blind and ultrasound-guided injection groups. The shoulder abduction range of motion was compared before injections and 1 wk after the completion of injections in both groups. The shoulder abduction range of motion before injection in the blind injection group was 71.03 +/- 12.38 degrees and improved to 100 +/- 18.18 degrees 1 wk after the injection treatments. However, the improvement did not reveal significant statistical differences (P > 0.05). The shoulder abduction range of motion before injection in the ultrasound-guided injection group was 69.05 +/- 14.72 degrees and improved to 139.29 +/- 20.14 degrees 1 wk after the injection treatments (P < 0.05). Ultrasound may be used as an adjuvant tool in guiding the needle accurately into the inflamed subacromial bursa. The ultrasound-guided injection technique can result in significant improvement in shoulder abduction range of motion as compared with the blind injection technique in treating patients with subacromial bursitis.