Objective: Many approaches to treatment of frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, including use of steroid injections, provide only short-term relief. We present a method for pulsed mode radiofrequency (PRF) lesioning of the suprascapular nerve using ultrasound guidance in patients with severe pain from frozen shoulder.
Design: Patients with frozen shoulder were treated by using real-time, high-resolution ultrasound guidance to facilitate PRF lesioning of the suprascapular nerve.
Setting and patients: Two patients with frozen shoulder of a tertiary hospital were reported.
Measures: Pain intensity and shoulder movement before and after procedure were recorded. Results. In the two cases presented, both patients experienced pain relief and increased shoulder flexibility for 5-6 months.
Conclusion: Ultrasound can not only quickly and effectively identify the suprascapular notch and nerve, but also helps the operator manipulate and advance the needle to a more precise position.
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