A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing the Efficacy of Ultrasound-guided Hydrodilatation With Intra-articular Corticosteroid Injection in the Treatment of Adhesive Capsulitis.

Adhesive capsulits is a common shoulder condition that causes significant pain and loss of joint mobility, thus affecting the quality of life. If left untreated, the symptoms can impair the person's function and persist for a longer duration. Both hydrodilatation and standard steroid injection into the glenohumeral joint are well recognised forms of treatment, but there is no consensus on the best treatment approach for adhesive capsulitis. Hydrodilatation involves injecting a larger volume of solution (with steroid and local anaesthetic mixed), into the space within the rotator cuff interval, leading to intra-articular distension of the joint capsule. The local anaesthetic used in the procedure provides immediate pain relief, while the long-term benefit comes from the resolution of the capsular stiffness and inflammation. This process stretches the capsule, resulting in adhesion breakdown and promoting the remodeling of the shoulder capsule, hence improving shoulder range of motion (ROM), especially in those with limited mobility due to the capsular tightening. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of HD compared with intra-articular corticosteroid injection (IAI) in patients with adhesive capsulitis, with pain and function as the primary outcomes. We conducted a prospective, randomised controlled trial conducted in the Rheumatology department of a tertiary centre. Twenty patients with adhesive capsulitis were recruited and randomised equally to receive HD (n = 10), and IAI (n = 10). The primary outcome measures include Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), QuickDASH questionnaire score, pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and range of motion (ROM) at 6-weeks post-intervention.