Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Needle Treatment and Steroid Injection for Calcific Tendinopathy of the Shoulder: Can the Orthopedic Surgeon do it?

Martina Hansens Hospital, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, P.O.B. 823, 1306 Sandvika, Norway.

Corresponding Author: Stefan Moosmayer, Martina Hansens Hospital, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, P.O.B. 823, 1306 Sandvika, Norway,Tel: +47 67521750; E-Mail: [email protected]

Received Date: 07 May 2018  
Accepted Date: 18 May 2018  
Published Date: 23 May 2018

Copyright © 2018 Moosmayer S

Citation: Moosmayer S and Aasen IB. (2018). UltrasoundGuided Percutaneous Needle Treatment and Steroid Injection for Calcific Tendinopathy of the Shoulder: Can the Orthopedic Surgeon do it?.Mathews J Orthop. 3(1): 020.

ABSTRACT

Background: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous needle treatment and steroid injection (barbotage) for calcific tendinopathy is usually performed by radiologists experienced in interventional ultrasound. We wanted to assess the early learning curve of an orthopedic surgeon.

Methods:One orthopedic surgeon without prior experience with the method treated 52 consecutive patients with barbotage. Shoulder function was measured repeatedly over 24 months on the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score and ultrasound and x-ray examination were performed at baseline and after 3 and 24 months. Patients with insufficient effect from barbotage were offered surgical treatment. Primary outcome was the change on the ASES score from baseline to 24 months.

Results: After 24 months, 15 patients had crossed over to surgery, 37 patients were still treated by barbotage-only. In the barbotage-only group the ASES score had improved by39.2 ± 18.6 points from 47.6 to 86.8 points (p = .001). Deposit size at baseline, volume of extracted calcium and change of deposit appearance on x-rays were compared between patients with and without effect from barbotage but were found to be unrelated to the outcome.

Discussion:Our results may encourage orthopedic surgeons with access to ultrasound equipment to perform barbotage on patients suffering from calcific tendinopathy.

Keywords: Calcific Tendinopathy; Ultrasound-Guided Needle Treatment; Barbotage; Interventional Ultrasound; Calcific Deposit; Shoulder