Clinical Effectiveness of Ultrasound-guided Costotransverse Joint Injection in Thoracic Back Pain Patients.
10.3344/kjp.2016.29.3.197
- Author:
Kyung Bong YOON
1
;
Shin Hyung KIM
;
Sang Jun PARK
;
Ji Ae MOON
;
Duck Mi YOON
Author Information
1. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. kbyoon@yuhs.ac
- Publication Type:Brief Communication
- Keywords:
Costotransverse joint;
Costovertebral joint;
Intra-articular block;
Sono-guided injection;
Thoracic back pain;
Thoracic spine
- MeSH:
Back Pain*;
Follow-Up Studies;
Humans;
Joints*;
Observational Study;
Retrospective Studies;
Treatment Outcome*;
Triamcinolone
- From:The Korean Journal of Pain
2016;29(3):197-201
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Because of its anatomical location and function, the costotransverse (CTRV) joint can be a source of thoracic back pain. In this retrospective observational study, we evaluated the clinical effectiveness of the CTRV joint injection in thoracic back pain patients with suspected CTRV joint problems. We enrolled 20 thoracic back pain patients with localized tenderness that was provoked by the application of pressure on the affected CTRV joints. We injected it with 0.5 ml of a ropivacaine and triamcinolone mixture at each level. The mean pre-injection pain score decreased by 37.9% (7.2 ± 1.5 to 4.5 ± 1.7, P < 0.001) two weeks after CTRV joint injection. In addition, 70% of patients reported an excellent or good level of satisfaction. We demonstrated that an ultrasound-guided injection of the CTRV joint reduced patients' pain scores and led to a high level of satisfaction at short-term follow-ups in patients with suspected CTRV joint problems.
