• Pratyusha Sinha, Biplab Sarkar, Subrata Goswami, Prasanta Ray Karmakar, Santi Ranjan Dasgupta, and Sagarmay Basu.
• Pain and Anaesthesiology, ESI Institute of Pain Management, Kolkata, India.
• Pain Pract. 2020 Jan 1; 20 (1): 16-23.

BackgroundSuprascapular nerve (SSN) block is a useful tool for pain control of different chronic shoulder pain syndromes. If the short-term effect of nerve block using local anesthetics is not sufficient, pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) neuromodulation of the SSN may provide long-term pain relief.Aim Of InvestigationThe aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of ultrasonography-guided PRF of the SSN for management of chronic shoulder pain.Subjects And MethodThirty patients with chronic shoulder pain underwent diagnostic ultrasonography-guided SSN block. After confirmation of positive results (>50% pain relief) via diagnostic testing, PRF of the SSN was performed in 27 patients, followed by application of dexamethasone; however, 2 patients had negative results with diagnostic block and 1 patient dropped out after positive results with diagnostic block. Pain was recorded using the VAS, and active range of motion of the affected shoulder was measured by goniometry (flexion, extension, adduction, abduction, external rotation, internal rotation). Assessments were done on day 0 and after 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks.Statistical TestOne-way analysis of variance testing.ResultsThe VAS score decreased significantly (P < 0.05) immediately after injection, and pain reduction was sustained for up to 24 weeks. Active range of motion in all directions also increased significantly (P < 0.5) after the procedure.ConclusionPRF of the SSN under ultrasonography guidance is a safe and effective treatment modality for management of chronic shoulder pain. The effect of a combination of PRF and a short-acting corticosteroid lasts up to 24 weeks, thereby assisting patients in undergoing relatively painless physiotherapy.© 2019 World Institute of Pain.

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