Rhizarthrosis ultrasound

Wrist/hand pain is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition with a great spectrum of etiologies (varying from overuse injuries to soft tissue tumors). Although most of the anatomical structures are quite superficial and easily evaluated during physical examination, for several reasons, the use of ultrasound imaging and guidance has gained an intriguing and paramount concern in the prompt management of relevant patients. In this aspect, the present review aims to illustrate detailed cadaveric wrist/hand anatomy to shed light into better understanding the corresponding ultrasonographic examinations/interventions in carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, de Quervain tenosynovitis, rhizarthrosis, and the radiocarpal joint arthritis...

BACKGROUND: Rhizarthrosis (trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis) is the second most common site of osteoarthritis in the hand affecting 10-30% of adults over the age of 50. Up to four times as many women as men have rhizarthrosis. Clinical symptoms include functional disability of the thumb, pain, joint swelling, and reduced strength. The first carpometacarpal joint is pivotal in the opposition of the thumb and allows a high degree in flexibility to humans. Current therapies focus mainly on surgical strategies, which should be considered in advanced, therapy-resistant stages to relieve pain and improve function...

INTRODUCTION: Osteoarthritis of the trapeziometacarpal joint affects approximately 10%-25% of women, especially those who are postmenopausal. It may result in thumb dysfunction. Among the treatments, intra-articular injections of corticosteroid (CS) and hyaluronic acid (HA) are both effective and recommended. However, clinical trials have shown that HA improves functional capacity, whereas CS only produces a decrease in pain. The synergy of these two drugs has not been evaluated. The primary goal of this study was to determine whether the association between HA and CS produce an additional decrease of more pain during thumb movement at three months postinjection, compared to the level of pain relief from CS alone...

OBJECTIVE: The study aim was to compare the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid and betamethasone in the management of patients with osteoarthritis of the thumb. METHODS: Eighty-eight evaluable patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the thumb (Kellgren-Lawrence grade II-III) received ultrasound-guided intra-articular treatment with hyaluronic acid (48) or betamethasone (40). In total, 3 local injections were scheduled at 7-day intervals...

Trapeziometacarpal (TMC) joint osteoarthritis (OA) is a common disabling condition in which the impact of visco-supplementation has to be ascertained. We aim to evaluate the efficacy of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HA) ultrasound (US)-guided intra-articular injection of TMC joints in OA. 32 TMC joints of 16 patients with symptomatic thumb base OA were treated with three injections of high molecular weight HA at 1-week intervals. Before injection, at week 0, 1, 2, and 24 all patients underwent clinical and US examination...

Forty percent of the 823 ultrasound-guided injections performed in our centre over a year and a half concerned the upper limb, injections involving the shoulder, for subacromial bursitis and the treatment of calcific tendinitis, being the prime indications (24%). The wrist represented 8% of the prescriptions, for treatment of tendinopathy, ganglion cysts, carpal tunnel syndrome and rhizarthrosis. Trigger finger, tenosynovitis and pulley ganglia made up 6% of the indications and the elbow 2.5%. Ultrasound improves the accuracy of the procedure by helping guide the path of the needle and allowing the distribution of the substance injected to be visualised...