Ultrasound-guided adult hip injections.
OBJECTIVE
The authors believe that ultrasound as a primary method of image guidance for performing hip aspirations is underutilized, and the authors report their experience in performing ultrasound-guided hip injections in 358 patients, using a free-hand technique.


METHODS
A retrospective review of all adult ultrasound-guided hip injections performed at the authors' institution over a four-year period was performed.


RESULTS
Retrospective review of an ultrasound database revealed 358 adult hip aspirations/injections were performed at the authors' institution from October 2000-October 2004. All procedures were performed using a longitudinal, anterior approach and without the use of a needle guide. There were no reported cases of inadvertent vascular or femoral nerve puncture.


CONCLUSIONS
To the authors' knowledge, this is the largest reported series of sonographically-guided adult hip aspirations/injections without the use of a needle guide. The authors believe that ultrasound as a primary method of image guidance for performing hip aspirations is underutilized. The absence of radiation and relatively short procedure time of ultrasound-guided hip injections are favorable factors to both the authors' referring clinician population as well as the patients.
Sofka
Carolyn M
CM
Department of Radiology and Imaging Hospital for Special Surgery, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 535 East 70th Street, New York, NY 10021, USA. sofkac@hss.edu
Saboeiro
Gregory
G
Adler
Ronald S
RS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013396:Suction / Q000379:methods; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional