ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To assess the clinical outcomes of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for secondary stiff shoulder (SSS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data performed between January 2017 and December 2019. This study comprised 25 patients (20 women and 5 men; median age, 49 years; range 27-59) with SSS resistant to conservative management during at least 3 months. The median time of stiffness was 12 months. The etiology of SSS was postoperative in 14 patients (56%) and posttraumatic in the remaining 11 patients (44%). Periods of immobilization in all patients were associated. TAE was performed, and technical aspects, adverse events, changes for pain, and physical examination before and 6 months after TAE were assessed. RESULTS: Abnormal vessels were observed in 20 of 25 (80%) of the procedures. Transitory cutaneous erythema was noted in 4 patients treated after TAE. Significant differences were observed in the median pain visual analog scale reduction between before and 6 months after TAE (8 vs 2, P < .001). Shoulder mobility significantly improved in both flexion and abduction degrees between before and at 6 months after TAE in (70° vs 150°; P < .001). No symptoms of recurrence appeared. CONCLUSIONS: TAE can result in pain reduction and mobility improvement in patients with SSS refractory to conservative therapy.
Subject(s)
Bursitis/therapy , Embolization, Therapeutic , Shoulder Pain/therapy , Adult , Bursitis/diagnostic imaging , Bursitis/etiology , Bursitis/physiopathology , Embolization, Therapeutic/adverse effects , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Recovery of Function , Retrospective Studies , Shoulder Pain/diagnostic imaging , Shoulder Pain/etiology , Shoulder Pain/physiopathology , Time Factors , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the mid-term clinical outcomes of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for adhesive capsulitis (AC) resistant to medical treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective analysis performed between February 2016 and February 2020. Inclusion criteria for TAE were shoulder pain, restriction of movement and no response to conservative treatment for at least 3 months. Demographic variables, risk factors, technical aspects, adverse events, changes by visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain and physical examination before and after TAE were assessed. RESULTS: This study included 40 patients with AC (35 women and 5 men; mean age 50 ± 9 years old). Abnormal vessels were observed in 31/40 (77.5%) procedures. As embolic agent, imipenem/cilastatin was used. The mean follow-up was 21.2 ± 10.5 months. Significant differences were obtained in terms of pain reduction before and 6 months after TAE with the median visual analogue scale (VAS) of 8 vs. 0.5, P = 0.0001. Substantial differences were found regarding mobility in flexion and abduction before and 6 months after embolization, respectively (79.5° ± 18.5° vs. 133° ± 24.5°, P = 0.0001; 72.4° ± 18.8° vs. 129.7° ± 27.9°, P = 0.0001). No complications occurred. Complete recovery was obtained in 37/40 (92.5%) patients and partial recovery in 2/40 (5%). No clinical recurrence appeared. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical results of transcatheter arterial embolization with imipenem/cilastatin are effective and stable in the mid-term follow-up for patients presenting with AC resistant to conservative treatments.