Hydrodilatation or hydraulic arthrographic capsular distension or distension arthrography is a medical treatment for
adhesive capsulitis of shoulder. The treatment is applied by a
radiologist assisted by a
radiographer.
Contrast medium, a
local anaesthetic
A local anesthetic (LA) is a medication that causes absence of pain sensation. In the context of surgery, a local anesthetic creates an absence of pain in a specific location of the body without a loss of consciousness, as opposed to a general an ...
and
cortisone are
injected into the joint. Then up to 40ml of sterile
saline solution are injected, using
X-ray as guidance, to stretch the
joint capsule. Risk of complications is low. Whether the treatment is successful is known after a couple of weeks.
The procedure is performed under imaging guidance, using either fluoroscopy,
ultrasound or
Computed Tomography (CT). Hydrodilatation is felt to provide benefit via two mechanisms: manual stretching of the capsule and thus disruption of
adhesions which are characteristic of
adhesive capsulitis, and; the introduction of
cortisone provides a potent anti-inflammatory effect and thus prevents further adhesion recurrence.
Research in 2008 has questioned the benefit of hydrodilatation as giving no statistical benefit over injecting cortisone alone.
References
External links
Literature review and case studiesRadiology image sequence demonstrating CT guided shoulder hydrodilatation
Medical treatments
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