PubMed:23396318 / 0-12
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Percutaneous ultrasound-guided treatment of shoulder tendon calcifications: Clinical and radiological follow-up at 6 months().
INTRODUCTION: Calcific tendinitis of the shoulder is a common condition characterized by chronic pain and/or very painful acute episodes. Different treatments are used during painful flare-up, but they are often ineffective. US-guided percutaneous needle aspiration/lavage is proving to be an effective means for eliminating these calcifications.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We treated 123 consecutive patients (mean age 48 years) with calcific tendinitis of the shoulder. Fifty-five patients had persistent symptoms requiring 2 or more treatments with lavage and intrabursal steroid infiltration. Before and after treatment, US studies were done independently by 2 radiologists with experience in musculoskeletal ultrasound. Results were concordant in over 90% of the cases. Constant Shoulder Scores were calculated before and 6 months after treatment. At 6 months, MRI was performed to identify impingement and/or bursitis.
RESULTS: Post-treatment Constant scores were significantly improved in all 68 patients treated once (Group 1: mean scores 28.6 vs. 81.4) and in 52 of the 55 treated twice or more (Group 2: mean scores 34.1 vs. 71.1) (p < 0.0001 in both cases). Pretreatment Constant scores were similar in patients with and without shoulder impingement on MRI (31.2 vs. 30.9, respectively), but after treatment the impingement group's scores were significantly higher (82.2 vs. 73.3, respectively; p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: US-guided percutaneous needle aspiration/lavage is an effective and economic treatment for calcific tendinitis of the shoulder. Pretreatment MRI should be done to check for impingement since it is often associated with an incomplete response to the first treatment.
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