• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.85-89
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• 2009

Purpose: To analyze the clinical outcome after ultrasound guided multiple dry needlings and local steroid injection for acute calcific tendinitis of shoulder. Materials and Methods: Twenty patients with acute episode of pain by calcific tendinitis of shoulder with average age 58.2 (50~70 years) and follow-up of 18 months in average (range, 12~24) were included in study. There were 18 patients with right and 2 with left sided involvement. All patients had calcific deposits in the supraspinatus tendon. All patients underwent standardized nonoperative treatment protocol, consisting of 5~12 MHz high resolution ultrasound guided multiple dry needlings with 18 guage needle, followed by 2% lidocaine 1cc and 40 mg/ml depomedrol 1cc injection at site of calcific tendinitis. The outcome was assessed by UCLA shoulder score, range of motion and VAS score. A statistical analysis with ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test with the significance level at 5% was performed using SAS 9.1 software (SAS Institute, Cary, NC). Results: All patients got continuous relief of pain right after the procedures until final follow-up. Before the procedures, the UCLA scores were fair in 15 patients and poor in 5. After the procedures, the UCLA scores were excellent in 16 patients and good in 4. All cases revealed no limitation of shoulder function. The average VAS score decreased from 8.9 before the procedures to 0.5 at final follow-up (p<0.0001). No complication was encountered. Conclusion: An ultrasound guided local steroid injections following multiple dry needlings would be one of the useful treatment modality for the acute calcific tendinitis of shoulder.