Accuracy of Needle Placement Into The Subacromial Space of The Shoulder

University of California (UC) Davis

Status: Completed

Conditions: Rotator Cuff Tendonitis

Treatments: Procedure: Injection of Subacromial Bursa

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01330641

200816140

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study attempts to determine the most accurate route for injection of the subacromial bursa in patients with rotator cuff tendonitis. Typically, in medical practice, one of the routes of injection is used. It has not been determined if one route is superior, or if all routes are equal in delivering medication into the subacromial bursa, which sits on top of the rotator cuff tendons.

Full description

Patients with a diagnosis of rotator cuff tendonitis, having failed other non-operative measures, are offered an injection of steroid and local anesthetic to relieve their pain. This is standard treatment. In this study, patients are prospectively randomized to receive their injection by one of the three commonly used routes: anterior, posterior, or lateral. Accuracy of the injection is determined by including a small amount of contrast dye in the injection which will make the injection visible on post-injection radiographs.

Enrollment: 75 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• rotator cuff tendinitis

Exclusion criteria

• diabetes
• allergy to contrast dye
• renal disease
• pregnancy
• frozen shoulder

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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75 participants in 3 patient groups

Anterior injection Route

Active Comparator group

Description:

Group of patients injected with medication using the anterior route

Treatment:

Procedure: Injection of Subacromial Bursa

Posterior Injection

Active Comparator group

Description:

Group of patients receiving injection through a posterior route

Treatment:

Procedure: Injection of Subacromial Bursa

Lateral Injection

Active Comparator group

Description:

Group of patients receiving subacromial injection through a lateral route

Treatment:

Procedure: Injection of Subacromial Bursa