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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A minimally invasive procedure to treat shoulder pain caused by tendonitis in the rotator cuff provides immediate and lasting relief, according to a new study.
Calcific tendonitis, a condition that causes the formation of small calcium deposits within the tendons of the rotator cuff in the shoulder, is most common in adults in their 40s.
In minor cases, physical therapy or anti-inflammatory medications may be sufficient to address the problem. In severe cases, however, patients may require shockwave treatment or open surgery, which involves a hospital stay, rehabilitation and the risk of complications from surgery.
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"With this treatment, we were able to establish a single inexpensive and effective treatment for calcific tendonitis of the rotator cuff. This has never happened before," study co-author Luca M. Sconfienza, M.D., from the Unit of Radiology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, University of Milan School of Medicine in Milan, Italy, is quoted as saying.
The Italian researchers developed an ultrasound-guided percutaneous (through the skin) therapy as an effective and inexpensive alternative to surgery. For the 20-minute procedure, the shoulder is locally anesthetized and, with ultrasound guidance, a radiologist injects a saline solution into the rotator cuff to wash the area and break up the calcium deposits. A second needle is used to aspirate, or withdraw, the calcium residue. Recovery time is about an hour.
"People with calcific tendonitis should know that with a simple, one-time ultrasound-guided procedure, they could recover completely from the terrible pain constantly affecting their shoulder," Dr. Sconfienza said.
While few institutions currently offer this therapy, Dr. Sconfienza says that, theoretically, the procedure could be performed in any hospital or clinic that has ultrasound equipment with a superficial probe. "There are millions of people in the world affected by calcific tendonitis," Dr. Sconfienza said. "This treatment can provide quick and inexpensive relief for all of them."
SOURCE: Radiology, July 2009
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