This
Article was a nicely done cadaveric study showing that injections into the first dorsal compartment are more accurate and reliable when done under ultrasound guidance. They first injected dye into the cadaveric wrists by feeling the landmarks and injecting based on feel. They also injected the next set of cadavers using ultrasound to directly visualize the injection. All specimens had dye in the 1st dorsal compartment as intended. However, 8/21 in the ultrasound guided group and 6/22 in the "blind" injection group had a separate compartment for the extensor pollicis brevis (EPB) tendon. Only 2 out of 6 "blind" injections made it into the EPB tendon when there was a separate sheath. 6 out of 8 ultrasound guided injections successfully infiltrated the EPB tendon when there was a separate sheath.
Takeaway:
We have ultrasound capabilities in all 3 office locations. We use ultrasound to guide our injections in difficult tendon sites such as de Quervain's tendinitis and bicep tendinitis.
Tags:
de Quervain's, bicep long head tendinitis, ultrasound guided, steroid injection.
