Ultrasound-guided cortisone injections may help treat severe hip pain

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Ultrasound-guided cortisone injections may help treat severe hip pain

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-12/acor-uci121609.php

Ultrasound-guided cortisone injections may be an effective treatment method for

gluteus medius tendinopathy, a common, painful condition caused by an injury to

the tendons in the buttocks that typically affects middle-aged to elderly women

and young active individuals, according to a study published in the January

issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

Gluteus medius tendinopathy can cause severe hip pain. " The underlying causes

remain unclear but probably are multi-factorial and involve mechanical and

degenerative processes, " said Etienne Cardinal, MD, lead author of the study.

Medical treatment usually includes physiotherapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory

medication, and local injections of corticosteroids.

The study, performed at the University of Montreal's Hospital Center, included

54 patients with gluteus medius tendinopathy. Ultrasound-guided cortisone

injections were performed on all patients. " One month after treatment, 72

percent of the patients showed a clinically significant improvement in pain

level. Seventy percent of patients were satisfied with the results of the

intervention, " said Cardinal.

" The use of ultrasound for guiding musculoskeletal procedures has increased over

the past several years. Advantages of ultrasound over fluoroscopy include its

soft-tissue imaging capabilities that allow a diagnostic study to be performed

before cortisone injection, " he said.

" This noninvasive, nonionizing imaging technique allows continuous monitoring of

the needle position, which facilitates the performance of safe and precise

cortisone injections, " said Cardinal.

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This study appears in the January issue of the American Journal of

Roentgenology.