Abstract

Objective

To assess how shoulder specialists have used infiltration in their daily practice.

Methods

A survey study in which shoulder and elbow specialists answered a questionnaire on the use of infiltration in painful shoulders.

Results

Most of the doctors (45.9%) have > 10 years of experience in the area and have carried out up to 10 infiltrations in the last 12 months. The main indications for glenohumeral and subacromial infiltration are glenohumeral arthrosis and rotator cuff tendinopathy, respectively. The most used portals are the posterior (52.2%) for glenohumeral infiltration and the lateral (57.5%) for subacromial infiltration. The majority of the doctors (752%) infiltrate in an outpatient setting without imaging methods, and the most commonly used drug is the combination of corticoid and anesthetic. The main contraindication cited is the presence of diabetes, and the most common complication is pain after infiltration.

Conclusion

Subacromial infiltrations are indicated especially for the treatment of rotator cuff tendinopathies and bursitis, performed by the lateral portal, in an outpatient setting, with low index of long-term complications. Glenohumeral infiltrations are indicated especially for glenohumeral arthrosis, with a combination of a corticoid and anesthetic, performed mostly in an outpatient setting.

Keywords
shoulder; infiltration; tendinopathy; arthrosis