Evaluation of the Treatment of Frozen Shoulder by Hydraulic Distention Under Local Anesthesia and its Comparison with Intra Articular Steroid Therapy

Objective: To evaluate the result of treatment of frozen shoulder by Hydraulic Distention under local anesthesia with steroid and intra-articular steroid alone. Study Design: It was a prospective and comparative study. Samples size: 60 patients were taken in this study and were divided into two groups. Duration and Setting: The study was conducted in 2000 - 2001 treated in the department of Orthopaedic, Mayo Hospital Lahore. Methodology: The patients were divided into two groups. Group-I were treated by hydraulic distension of glenohumeral joint with 50 ml normal saline under local anesthesia with steroid followed by medicines (oral analgesics and muscle relaxants) and exercises. Patients in group-II were treated by intra-articular steroid followed by medicines (oral analgesics and muscle relaxants) and exercises. Results: The average age of patients in group I was 52 ± 2.16 years and 50 ± 2.03 in group II. There were 37 (63%) females and 22 (37%) males in our study. Female to male ratio was 1.7:1. All patients in group-I noted immediate pain relief with excellent return of range of motion (ROM) and resumption of normal sleep. At the end of 45 days of follow up all patients had returned to their normal daily activities. Most of them got excellent ROM and pain relief. All patients in group-II noted immediate pain relief and resumption of almost normal sleep. At the end of 45 days of follow up most of the patient presented with good relief of pain but could not return to most of their normal activities because of less improvement in ROM. Conclusions: Hydraulic distension technique is a quick, safe and gives early results, so it should be considered first for the treatment of frozen shoulder.