Evaluation of clinical and functional results of ultrasound-guided injections in patients with arthroscopic rotator cuff tear repair

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of ultrasound-guided injections in patients undergoing rotator cuff tear repair.

Method: The results of ultrasound-guided injections of 225 patients (142 women, 83 men) after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were evaluated. 75 Platelet rich plasma (PRP), 75 Hyaluronic Acid (HA) and 75 combined PRP+HA injections were performed.

Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores recorded before injection, at the first and sixth months after injection. ASES (American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Score) and CMS (Constant-Murley Score) scores were used for functional evaluation.

Results: In all 3 groups VAS scores were significantly lower at the first and sixth months after injection (respectively p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001). CMS and ASES scores were significantly higher at the first and sixth months after injection in all three groups (respectively p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001).

VAS scores in the first month were significantly lower in PRP and PRP+HA groups than the HA group (p=0.006). ASES and CMS scores in the first month were significantly higher in PRP+HA group than HA and PRP groups (respectively p < 0.001, p < 0.001). VAS scores in the sixth month were significantly lower in PRP+HA group than HA and PRP groups (p < 0.001). ASES and CMS scores in the sixth month were significantly higher in PRP+HA group than HA and PRP groups (respectively p < 0.001, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: PRP and HA injections applied in order to accelerate recovery after surgery are effective in rotator cuff tears undergoing arthroscopic repair, and the combined application is associated with better pain and functional recovery.

Level of evidence: Retrospective study, IV.

Cite this article as: Ertilav E, Ertilav D. Evaluation of clinical and functional results of ultrasound-guided injections in patients with arthroscopic rotator cuff tear repair. Turk J Sports Med. 2024 Oct 10th; https://doi.org/10.47447/tjsm.0849

The approval for this study was obtained from Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University Faculty of Medicine Clinical Research Ethics Committee, Canakkale, Türkiye (Decision no:2022/156, Date: 14/12/2022).

Concept – DE,EE; Design - EE,DE; Supervision –EE; Materials–EE,DE Data Collection and/or Processing – DE,EE; Analysis and İnterpretation – EE,DE; Literature Review – EE; Writing manuscript – EE, DE ; Critical Reviews – EE,DE. All authors contributed to the final version of the manuscript and discussed the results and contributed to the final manuscript.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to authorship and/or publication of the article.

The authors received no financial support for the research and/or publication of this article.