Basanta Kumar Behera1, Nirmal Chandra Mohapatra2
BACKGROUND
There is a wide variety of treatment modalities available for the self-limiting disease of the frozen shoulder. But, there is no definite evidence of superiority available one over the other. This study was planned to evaluate the functional outcome of combined hydraulic capsular distension by normal saline and intraarticular steroid injection followed by physiotherapy for treatment of frozen shoulder.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
64 patients between age group of 45 to 70 years, that attended our Orthopaedic Department OPD for primary frozen shoulder between January 2012 to December 2016 were included in this study. They were divided into 2 groups. First group of patients (32) were treated with combined intracapsular distension of shoulder using normal saline and intraarticular steroid injection under local anaesthesia followed by physiotherapy. Three doses were given at interval of 2 weeks. Second group (32 pts.) were treated by analgesics and physiotherapy only. The patients were assessed at baseline, second week, sixth week, twelfth week and sixth months. All the patients were evaluated for functional improvement by measuring the range of active movement of shoulder.
RESULTS
Patients treated with arthrographic hydrodilatation and intraarticular steroid injection have significantly better functional outcome in second week of injection as evaluated by active range of movement of shoulder.
CONCLUSION
From this study, we concluded that arthrographic hydrodilatation by normal saline combined with intraarticular steroid injection under local anaesthesia followed by physiotherapy provided dramatic pain relief and improved shoulder movement as early as second week.
