A pilot study of ultrasound-guided acupotomy for the treatment of frozen shoulder.

This study retrospectively analyzed the feasible effectiveness of ultrasound-guided acupotomy (USGAP) for the treatment of frozen shoulder (FS). A total of 36 patients with FS were analyzed in this retrospective study. All 36 patients received extracorporeal shock-wave therapy (ESWT). In addition, 18 of them also underwent USGAP intervention and were assigned to a treatment group, while the other 18 patients did not receive such intervention and were assigned to a control group. The primary efficacy endpoint was pain intensity, as measured by the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). The secondary efficacy endpoint was assessed by the score of shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI). Furthermore, the adverse events were also documented during the treatment period. All efficacy endpoints were measured after the treatment. After treatment, patients who received USGAP exerted better efficacy endpoints in pain relief, as measured by NRS scale (P < .01), and shoulder disorders, as evaluated by SPADI (P < .01), than subjects who did not receive USGAP. Additionally, no adverse events occurred in either group. The results of this study indicated that USGAP may be used for the treatment of FS effectively. More studies are still needed to warrant the present results.