J Hand Microsurg 2011; 03(02): 51-54
DOI: 10.1007/s12593-011-0037-8
Original Article
Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Ltd.

Power Doppler Sonography and Clinical Monitoring for Hyaluronic Acid Treatment of Rhizarthrosis: A Pilot Study

Francesca Ingegnoli
1   Istituto Gaetano Pini, Division of Rheumatology, University of Milan, Piazza Cardinal Ferrari, 1-20122, Milan, Italy   Email: francesca.ingegnoli@unimi.it
,
Amedeo Soldi
1   Istituto Gaetano Pini, Division of Rheumatology, University of Milan, Piazza Cardinal Ferrari, 1-20122, Milan, Italy   Email: francesca.ingegnoli@unimi.it
,
Pier Luigi Meroni
2   Istituto Auxologico IRCCS, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
› Author Affiliations

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Further Information

Publication History

20 January 2011

07 March 2011

Publication Date:
05 September 2016 (online)

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Abstract

Trapeziometacarpal (TMC) joint osteoarthritis (OA) is a common disabling condition in which the impact of visco-supplementation has to be ascertained. We aim to evaluate the efficacy of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HA) ultrasound (US)-guided intra-articular injection of TMC joints in OA. 32 TMC joints of 16 patients with symptomatic thumb base OA were treated with three injections of high molecular weight HA at 1-week intervals. Before injection, at week 0, 1, 2, and 24 all patients underwent clinical and US examination. A significant clinical improvement was obtained by the decrease in visual analog scale for pain after 2 weeks of treatment (p=0.0003) and this result is maintained at week 24 (p=0.009). The Dreiser’s index also decreased after week 2 and remain stable after 6 months. Power Doppler signal significantly decreased after 2 weeks of treatment (p=0.02), even if this result was not maintained at week 24. No significant decrease in the synovial hypertrophy score was observed during the study. Our preliminary study suggests that US-guided TMC injections by high molecular weight HA may be effective in decreasing local inflammation and pain.