Gerold Ebenbichler
Medical University of Vienna, Austria
Title: Long-term outcome after ultrasound therapy for calcific tendinitis of the shoulder: Results of the 10 years’ follow-up of an RCT
Biography
Biography: Gerold Ebenbichler
Abstract
Objective: To follow both the structure and function related 10 years’ outcome of shoulders that had been treated with therapeutic ultrasound (US) for symptomatic calcific tendinitis; to identify predictors for an unimpaired shoulder function.
Method: Long-term follow-up of 45 shoulders (37 patients) that had been treated for symptomatic calcific tendinitis with either a series of US or sham US 10 years ago. The main outcome variables were presence of calcium deposits and subacromial impingement on standardized X-ray imaging, shoulder symptoms (Binder score) and function (Constant score).
Results: At 10 years, a similar proportion of calcium deposits had resolved in 78% of the originally US treated compared with 83% of sham treated shoulders, whereas at nine months significantly more calcium deposits had been resolved in the US group (p=0.045). Shoulder symptoms and function had significantly improved at both nine months’ and 10 years’ follow-up examinations with no significant differences between groups. No variables were found to be of prognostic value to predict a favorable long-term outcome.
Conclusion: Symptomatic calcific tendinitis of the shoulder has a good likelihood to completely resolve in the long-term. Treating the calcium deposit effectively, however, may not be causal to the recovery from symptoms and function in calcific tendinitis.