The Safety of Ultrasound Guided Tenotomy and Debridement for Upper and Lower Extremity Tendinopathies: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND

Ultrasound guided tenotomy (USGT) is a minimally invasive treatment option for patients with chronic tendinopathy. There are conflicting findings in the literature with some studies reporting severe complications and others reporting none. This variability is likely due to the small sample sizes of previous studies. We aimed to evaluate the risks associated with USGT and outcomes across multiple tendinopathy/fasciopathy sites in a large clinical sample.

METHODS

Patients who had USGT were identified by retrospective review of charts. Complications, satisfaction, and outcomes (pain, quality of life) were assessed at baseline prior to the procedure (outcomes only), short-term follow up, and long term follow up.

RESULTS

A total of 262 patients with 289 procedures were identified through chart review. There was a low complication rate of 0.7% including one superficial wound infection and one case of wound hypersensitivity. The majority of patients reported improvement in pain by short-term and long-term follow-up and improvement in function by long-term follow-up. The majority of responders reported being either 'very satisfied' or 'somewhat satisfied' with the procedure at short-term follow-up.

CONCLUSION

This study found that USGT is a safe procedure with a low complication rate in a heterogeneous sample. Study findings provide preliminary evidence on the utility of USGT to reduce pain and improve function with a high rate of patient satisfaction.Level of Evidence: IV.