Ultrasound-guided infiltration of rhizarthrosis

Rhizarthrosis as we saw in this previous article (https://drjordijimenez.com/en/dr-jordi-jimenez/blog-take-care-of-your-health/rhizarthrosis) it is a degenerative condition of the thumb joint, specifically the trapeziometacarpal joint. There are varying degrees of joint involvement, with deformity, pain, and loss of function increasing as the degree increases. Undoubtedly, rehabilitation plays an important role in pain control and functional improvement in rhizarthrosis, but in cases where rehabilitation treatment is ineffective, ultrasound-guided injections for rhizarthrosis may be indicated.

In this case, ultrasound-guided injections provide a tool for treating rhizarthrosis quickly, safely, and accurately. Precision is very important in small joints, which, due to their degenerative process, can be difficult to inject without ultrasound guidance.

Ultrasound-guided injections for rhizarthrosis
The procedure for ultrasound-guided injections of the trapeziometacarpal joint includes:

• Patient positioning: sitting on a stool with the hand to be injected laterally.
• Preliminary ultrasound: where we will locate the joint line of the trapeziometacarpal joint and its joint capsule. We will mark the needle entry site on the skin.
• Disinfection of the area to be injected, as well as the materials and instruments used.
• Ultrasound guidance: We will visualize the needle in the correct position and the medication being administered in the correct location.

The main objective of ultrasound-guided injections for rhizarthrosis is to improve pain and hand function. This goal is not always achieved, especially in cases of rhizarthrosis with severe joint involvement. In these cases, surgery will be indicated, and ultrasound-guided injections can be used as a technique to alleviate pain until surgery.