Infiltrations and ultrasound-guided interventions

Ultrasound-guided injection is a medical technique in which ultrasound is used to guide the injection of medications into a specific joint or tissue. This technique allows the physician to see the position of the needle and medication in real time, increasing the precision and safety of the procedure. Medications used in ultrasound-guided injections may include steroids, local anesthetics, hyaluronic acid, platelet growth factors, collagen, etc., depending on the condition being treated. Ultrasound-guided injections are widely used in the treatment of joint pain, tendonitis, muscle injuries, among others.

Advantages of Ultrasound in Injections

• Precise Guidance: Ultrasound provides a real-time image of the body's structure, allowing for precise needle guidance during injections.
• Safety: Ultrasound is a noninvasive and safe technique that does not use ionizing radiation. Identification of anatomical structures: Ultrasound allows for the identification of underlying anatomical structures, such as tendons, nerves, and blood vessels, which helps prevent injury during injection.
• Monitoring: Ultrasound allows for the monitoring of the effect of injection and the detection of any complications.
• Accessibility: It is an easily accessible and low-cost technique.
• Less painful: Ultrasound allows for greater precision in needle placement, which reduces the pain associated with injection.
• Greater effectiveness: Ultrasound allows for greater precision in needle placement, which improves the effectiveness of injection.
• Shorter recovery time: Ultrasound allows for greater precision in needle placement, which reduces recovery time after injection.
• Evaluation: Ultrasound allows for the evaluation of the condition of the structures before and after injection.

We can use ultrasound-guided therapies to treat multiple musculoskeletal conditions:

• Tendinitis/tendinosis: inflammation or degeneration of the tendons, such as Achilles tendonitis or shoulder tendonitis.
• Bursitis: inflammation of the bursae, structures that protect the tendons from excessive friction, and whose inflammation causes severe pain.
• Arthritis: inflammation of the joints, such as arthritis of the knee or shoulder.
• Myofascial pain syndrome: chronic musculoskeletal pain.
• Sports injuries: pain or inflammation in the joints, tendons, ligaments, etc. caused by intense exercise or overtraining.
• Shoulder injuries: such as subacromial bursitis, osteoarthritis of the acromioclavicular joint, rotator cuff injuries, joint effusions, or biceps tendonitis.
• Knee injuries: such as cartilage injuries, meniscal injuries, knee bursitis, joint effusions, synovitis, and osteoarthritis.
• Spinal injuries: such as lower back or neck pain.
• Tendon injuries such as tennis elbow, Achilles tendon injuries, patellar tendinopathies, among others.

Regarding ultrasound-guided interventions, it should be noted that this is a medical technique that uses ultrasound to guide invasive procedures. Ultrasound provides a real-time image of the interior of the body, allowing for precise guidance of the needle or catheter during the procedure. This helps avoid injury to vital structures and increases the precision and effectiveness of the procedure.

Some common indications for ultrasound-guided interventions include:

• Nerve injuries: allows for precise blockage of the affected nerve.
• Cysts or abscesses: allows for precise puncture and drainage of the cyst or abscess.
• Removal of tendon calcifications.
• Biopsy: Ultrasound allows for precise biopsy of masses.
• Injections into the peripheral nervous system (nerve plexuses)

The main advantage of ultrasound-guided intervention is that it provides greater precision and safety compared to traditional techniques. Furthermore, it can be used in patients for whom other techniques are inappropriate or difficult to perform.

Make an appointment with Dr. Jordi Jiménez. He will see you in the center of Palma and help you regain your quality of life.