cilastatin--imipenem-drug-combination and Chronic-Pain

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of transcatheter arterial embolization to relieve pain associated with shoulder and elbow tendinopathy refractory to conservative treatment.. This study included 13 patients (15 cases) who underwent embolization between November 2015 and December 2016 to treat chronic shoulder pain (6 with rotator-cuff tendinopathy, 2 with calcific tendinitis) or elbow pain (7 with lateral epicondylitis) refractory to conservative treatment. Microspheres were used in the first 4 cases, and imipenem/cilastatin sodium was used in the remaining 11. Visual analog scale (VAS) score changes were recorded. Decrease in VAS score and degree of enhancement on digital subtraction angiography were compared.. The technical and clinical success rates were 100% (15/15) and 73% (11/15), respectively. The mean VAS scores at baseline, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 4 months after embolization were 6.1, 5.8, 5.1, 4.3, and 2.5, respectively (P < .05 after 1 wk). Pain improved in 9 of 10 cases (90%) with "evident" enhancement and 3 of 5 cases (60%) with no evident enhancement. The VAS scores in the evident enhancement group decreased more than those in patients with no evident enhancement (4.5 vs 1.8; P < .05). Forearm cutaneous erythema was noted in 1 patient treated with microspheres.. Transcatheter arterial embolization may be an option for relieving pain associated with chronic shoulder and elbow tendinopathy refractory to conservative treatment. The degree of angiographic enhancement might be a possible factor affecting the degree of pain relief after embolization.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Angiography, Digital Subtraction; Arthralgia; Calcinosis; Chronic Pain; Cilastatin; Cilastatin, Imipenem Drug Combination; Conservative Treatment; Drug Combinations; Embolization, Therapeutic; Female; Humans; Imipenem; Male; Microspheres; Middle Aged; Pain Measurement; Rotator Cuff Injuries; Tendinopathy; Tennis Elbow; Treatment Outcome