Functional Results of Infiltration for Biceps Tendonitis Guided by Ultrasound vs Anatomical Repairs: Variation in Technique

NCT ID: NCT06856824

Last Updated: 2025-03-17

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

50 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-06-01

Study Completion Date

2025-12-31

Brief Summary

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A randomized clinical trial aimed at comparing the functional outcomes of brachial biceps infiltration guided by anatomical landmarks versus ultrasound guidance. Given that ultrasound guidance has shown an efficacy of 91%, this intervention could potentially be more effective in delivering medication to the target area and achieving improved therapeutic outcomes

Detailed Description

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Shoulder pain is a frequent orthopedic complaint, with biceps long head tendinitis being a common cause leading to physical disability in the working and athletic population. Currently, there's no guideline for managing biceps tendinitis. Studying clinical outcomes post-biceps tendon sheath infiltration will aid in developing management guidelines for quick patient return to activities with minimal sequelae.

No studies in Colombia have compared clinical outcomes of biceps tendinitis patients undergoing ultrasound-guided vs anatomically guided infiltrations. This information will allow comparison with global literature, assessing differences in treatment effectiveness and socio-economic impact on the population.

Research Question:

In patients with long head biceps tendinitis, does ultrasound-guided infiltration compared to anatomically guided infiltration yield better clinical outcomes?

Theoretical Framework and State of the Art:

The biceps tendon originates from the supraglenoid tubercle of the scapula, contributing to shoulder stability and functions such as forearm supination and elbow flexion. Primary biceps tendinitis, constituting about 5% of bicipital pathology cases, can limit daily activities.

Tendinitis cascade initiation involves inflammation due to repetitive traction, leading to increased tendon volume and pressure in specific locations, predisposing it to shear forces and degenerative changes. Diagnosis involves ultrasound and MRI, with initial treatment focusing on non-surgical methods and corticosteroid infiltrations when conservative management fails.

Ultrasound-guided injections, compared to anatomical landmarks, show higher precision and efficacy rates, reducing patient discomfort.

Procedure Technique:

Anatomical landmark-guided puncture involves patient positioning and palpation, whereas ultrasound-guided involves identifying the biceps tendon's axis and inserting the needle parallel to the transducer.

Objectives:

General Objective: To compare functional outcomes of biceps tendon sheath infiltration guided by anatomical landmarks versus ultrasound in biceps tendinitis patients.

Specific Objectives: Characterize patient demographics, describe complication incidence, compare complication incidence between groups, and compare clinical outcomes between techniques.

Hypotheses:

Null Hypothesis: Ultrasound-guided infiltration yields similar functional results as anatomical landmark-guided infiltration in biceps tendinitis patients.

Alternative Hypothesis: Ultrasound-guided infiltration yields better functional results than anatomical landmark-guided infiltration in biceps tendinitis patients.

Methodology:

This entails a randomized clinical trial with double-blind methodology, involving RedCap software for randomization. Patients are blinded to the procedure, while the applicator knows the procedure but outcome evaluators are blinded.

Anatomical Landmark-guided Puncture:

The patient is placed in the supine position with the shoulder at a 10° internal rotation angle. Identification involves palpation of the coracoid process, tuberosities, biceps tendon, and bicipital groove. The tuberosities and biceps tendon groove are marked at the presumed tendon location. Confirmation of tendon location is achieved through palpation with rotations and manual palpation (highlighting 5 to 7 cm distal to the anterolateral margin of the acromion). A 5cc syringe with a 0.8 x 40 mm 21G ½ needle is used for puncture, inclined at a 20° to 30° cephalic angle until the biceps tendon sheath is pierced. During the procedure, ultrasound machine and transducer positioning will be performed, although the device will remain turned off.

Ultrasound-guided Puncture:

The patient is positioned supine with the shoulder in a neutral rotation. Identification involves locating the axis of the long head biceps tendon. The transducer is positioned perpendicular to the synovial sheath. The needle is inserted parallel to the transducer along its long axis from the lateral side of the shoulder. The needle is visualized on the monitor as a hyperechoic image and advanced continuously and in real-time into the tendon sheath. A 5cc syringe with a 0.8 x 40 mm 21G ½ needle is used for puncture. This procedure is performed by a specialist trained in ultrasound.

General Objective Compare the functional outcomes of bicipital groove infiltration guided by anatomical landmarks and by ultrasound as a technique variation in patients with biceps tendinitis.

Specific Objectives

Characterize demographic variables in the study patient groups. Describe the incidence of complications related to the procedures. Compare the incidence of complications between the groups. Compare clinical outcomes between the two techniques (EVA, qDASH, SANE, satisfaction).

Conditions

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Bíceps Tendinitis

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Investigators

Study Groups

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Anatomic landmarks

injection in the bicipital groove guided by anatomic landmarks

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

injection in the bicipital groove guided by anatomic landmarks

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Anatomical landmark-guided puncture involves patient positioning and palpation, whereas ultrasound-guided involves identifying the biceps tendon's axis and inserting the needle parallel to the transducer.

Guided by ultrasound

injection in the bicipital groove guided by ultrasound

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

injection in the bicipital groove guided by ultrasound

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Anatomical landmark-guided puncture involves patient positioning and palpation, whereas ultrasound-guided involves identifying the biceps tendon's axis and inserting the needle parallel to the transducer.

Interventions

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injection in the bicipital groove guided by anatomic landmarks

Anatomical landmark-guided puncture involves patient positioning and palpation, whereas ultrasound-guided involves identifying the biceps tendon's axis and inserting the needle parallel to the transducer.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

injection in the bicipital groove guided by ultrasound

Anatomical landmark-guided puncture involves patient positioning and palpation, whereas ultrasound-guided involves identifying the biceps tendon's axis and inserting the needle parallel to the transducer.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* 18 years or older
* Patients with anterior shoulder pain
* Point of maximum pain in long head bíceps tendon at the level of the bicipital groove
* Positive speed test
* Patients who gave informed consent and accepted follow-up

Exclusion Criteria

* Calcifying tendonitis of the biceps
* Partial or complete rupture of the subscapularis tendon
* Glenohumeral joint deformity
* Rupture and/or dislocation of the tendon of the long head of the biceps.
* Surgery and/or previous infiltrations in the biceps tendon
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

99 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Pontificia Universidad Javeriana

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Hospital Universitario San Ignacio

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Locations

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Hospital Universitario San Ignacio

Bogotá, , Colombia

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Colombia

Central Contacts

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Luis A A García, MD

Role: CONTACT

*57 1 5946161 ext. 2430

Margarita Manrique, MD

Role: CONTACT

5946161 ext. 2473

Facility Contacts

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Luis A García González, Orthopedic Surgeon and Traumat

Role: primary

* 57 1 5946161 ext. 2253

References

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Aly AR, Rajasekaran S, Ashworth N. Ultrasound-guided shoulder girdle injections are more accurate and more effective than landmark-guided injections: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2015 Aug;49(16):1042-9. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2014-093573. Epub 2014 Nov 17.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 25403682 (View on PubMed)

Urwin M, Symmons D, Allison T, Brammah T, Busby H, Roxby M, Simmons A, Williams G. Estimating the burden of musculoskeletal disorders in the community: the comparative prevalence of symptoms at different anatomical sites, and the relation to social deprivation. Ann Rheum Dis. 1998 Nov;57(11):649-55. doi: 10.1136/ard.57.11.649.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 9924205 (View on PubMed)

Holtby R, Razmjou H. Accuracy of the Speed's and Yergason's tests in detecting biceps pathology and SLAP lesions: comparison with arthroscopic findings. Arthroscopy. 2004 Mar;20(3):231-6. doi: 10.1016/j.arthro.2004.01.008.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 15007311 (View on PubMed)

Dean BJ, Gwilym SE, Carr AJ. Why does my shoulder hurt? A review of the neuroanatomical and biochemical basis of shoulder pain. Br J Sports Med. 2013 Nov;47(17):1095-104. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2012-091492. Epub 2013 Feb 21.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 23429268 (View on PubMed)

Borms D, Ackerman I, Smets P, Van den Berge G, Cools AM. Biceps Disorder Rehabilitation for the Athlete: A Continuum of Moderate- to High-Load Exercises. Am J Sports Med. 2017 Mar;45(3):642-650. doi: 10.1177/0363546516674190. Epub 2016 Dec 14.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 28125910 (View on PubMed)

Griffin JW, Leroux TS, Romeo AA. Management of Proximal Biceps Pathology in Overhead Athletes: What Is the Role of Biceps Tenodesis? Am J Orthop (Belle Mead NJ). 2017 Jan/Feb;46(1):E71-E78.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 28235123 (View on PubMed)

Varacallo MA, Mair SD. Proximal Biceps Tendinitis and Tendinopathy. 2023 Aug 4. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK533002/

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 30422594 (View on PubMed)

Arroll B, Goodyear-Smith F. Corticosteroid injections for painful shoulder: a meta-analysis. Br J Gen Pract. 2005 Mar;55(512):224-8.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 15808040 (View on PubMed)

Buchbinder R, Green S, Youd JM. Corticosteroid injections for shoulder pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003;2003(1):CD004016. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004016.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 12535501 (View on PubMed)

Zhang J, Ebraheim N, Lause GE. Ultrasound-guided injection for the biceps brachii tendinitis: results and experience. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2011 May;37(5):729-33. doi: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2011.02.014. Epub 2011 Mar 31.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 21458143 (View on PubMed)

Elkousy H, Gartsman GM, Drake G, Sola W Jr, O'Connor D, Edwards TB. Retrospective comparison of freehand and ultrasound-guided shoulder steroid injections. Orthopedics. 2011 Apr 11;34(4). doi: 10.3928/01477447-20110228-11.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 21469629 (View on PubMed)

González FSV, Shoji FH, Díaz MIE. Lesiones del tendón del bíceps, manejo actual. Orthotips AMOT 2014;10:154-62.

Reference Type RESULT

Khazzam M, George MS, Churchill RS, Kuhn JE. Disorders of the long head of biceps tendon. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2012 Jan;21(1):136-45. doi: 10.1016/j.jse.2011.07.016. Epub 2011 Oct 17. No abstract available.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 22005126 (View on PubMed)

García González GLA, Aguilar Sierra SF, Rodríguez Ricardo RMC. Validación de la versión en español de la escala de función del miembro superior abreviada: Quick Dash. Revista Colombiana de Ortopedia Y Traumatología 2018;32:215-9.

Reference Type RESULT

Dhand NK, Khatkar MS. Statulator: An online statistical calculator. Sample size calculator for comparing two independent means. Accessed May 2014;6:2021.

Reference Type RESULT

Other Identifiers

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2024/070

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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