Abstract | BACKGROUND:
Tennis elbow is a tendinopathy affecting the upper extremity. Recent studies have shown high sensitivity for ultrasound (US) examination and high specificity for colour Doppler (CD) examination. There are no mid- or long-term follow-up investigations of the tendon structure and blood flow using these techniques. OBJECTIVE: To use US and CD to study structure and blood flow in the extensor origin in patients with tennis elbow treated with intratendinous injections. DESIGN: Follow-up study. SETTING: Sports Medicine Unit, Umeå University. PATIENTS: METHOD: US and CD examination of the extensor origin was carried out at inclusion and at follow-up two years after intratendinous injection treatment with polidocanol and/or a local anaesthetic. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: US (structure) and CD (blood flow) findings. RESULTS: All patients had structural tendon changes and high blood flow at inclusion when given the injection treatment. At the two-year follow-up, structural tendon changes were seen in 20/28 elbows and high blood flow was seen in 4/28 elbows. The majority of patients with a good clinical result after treatment had no visible blood flow (17/20), but the structural changes showed no relation to a good result (13/20 remaining changes). CONCLUSIONS: Doppler findings, but not structure, might be related to the clinical result after intratendinous injection treatment of tennis elbow.
|
Authors | E Zeisig, M Fahlström, L Ohberg, H Alfredson |
Journal | British journal of sports medicine
(Br J Sports Med)
Vol. 44
Issue 8
Pg. 584-7
(Jun 2010)
ISSN: 1473-0480 [Electronic] England |
PMID | 18664498
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
|
Topics |
- Adult
- Aged
- Chronic Disease
- Female
- Follow-Up Studies
- Humans
- Injections, Intramuscular
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Pain
(prevention & control)
- Tennis Elbow
(diagnostic imaging, drug therapy)
- Treatment Outcome
- Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color
|