NCT06735027

Corticosteroid Injection Versus Nerve Block

A Randomized Comparative Cohort Study of the Use of Intra-articular Corticosteroid Injection Compared to Suprascapular Nerve Block for Treatment of Shoulder Pain

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 40 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Minnesota · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 99 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate conservative pain relief measures for patients suffering from glenohumeral arthritis or rotator cuff arthropathy. Conservative management of osteoarthritis is often first line treatment, and while a corticosteroid injection is frequently used, suprascapular nerve blocks have not often been described as an analgesic option in this population.

Conditions

• Glenohumeral Arthritis
• Rotator Cuff Arthropathy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	intraarticular corticosteroid injection (IACI)	The patient will be in a seated position. Correct patient, laterality, and procedure will be performed during the timeout. Ultrasound guidance will be used to identify the glenohumeral joint. The injection site will then be disinfected with an alcohol wipe. A 21, 22, or 23-gauge needle (depending on provider preference) will be advanced into the glenohumeral joint under direct ultrasound visualization. After entry into the glenohumeral joint, a negative aspiration will be performed. At that time, up to 1 mL of 40mg/mL methylprednisolone acetate will be injected be injected into the joint space.
OTHER	suprascapular nerve block (SSNB)	The patient will be in a seated position. Correct patient, laterality, and procedure will be performed during the timeout. Ultrasound guidance will be used to identify the suprascapular nerve in its path at the suprascapular notch. After disinfection of the injection site with alcohol, anatomic landmarks for SSNB as described by Dangoisse et al. \[10\] will be marked with a marking pen. Ultrasound will be utilized to guide the tip of a 21, 22, or 23 gauge (depending on provider preference) needle to the floor of the suprascapular fossa while avoiding neurovascular structures. At that time, a mixture of up to 10 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine and 20 mg triamcinolone will be slowly injected to fill the fascial contents of the suprascapular fossa under direct ultrasound guidance.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-01-02
• Primary completion: 2027-01-02
• Completion: 2027-01-02
• First posted: 2024-12-16
• Last updated: 2026-01-08

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States