Evaluation of the Effusion within Biceps Long Head Tendon Sheath Using Ultrasonography.
BACKGROUND
Many shoulder diseases are related to glenohumeral joint synovitis and effusion. The purpose of the present study is to detect effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath as the sign of glenohumeral joint synovitis using ultrasonography, and to evaluate the clinical meaning of effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath.


METHODS
A consecutive series of 569 patients who underwent ultrasonography for shoulder pain were reviewed retrospectively and ultimately, 303 patients were included. The authors evaluated the incidence and amount of the effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath on the ultrasonographic short axis view. Furthermore, the authors evaluated the correlation between the amount of effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath and the range of motion and the functional score.


RESULTS
The effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath was detected in 58.42% of the patients studied: 69.23% in adhesive capsulitis, 56.69% in rotator cuff tear, 41.03% in calcific tendinitis, and 33.33% in biceps tendinitis. The average amount of the effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath was 1.7 ± 1.6 mm, and it was measured to be the largest in adhesive capsulitis. The amount of effusion within biceps long head tendon sheath showed a moderate to high degree of correlation with the range of motion, and a low degree of correlation with the functional score and visual analogue scale for pain in each type of shoulder disease.


CONCLUSIONS
The effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath is closely related to the range of motion and clinical scores in patients with painful shoulders. Ultrasonographic detection of the effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath might be a simple and easy method to evaluate shoulder function.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Armed Forces Capital Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
In
I
Park
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Hyo-Jin
HJ
Lee
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Sung-Eun
SE
Kim
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Sung-Ho
SH
Bae
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nanoori Hospital, Incheon, Korea.
Kwang-Yeol
KY
Lee
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Kwang-Sun
KS
Park
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Yang-Soo
YS
Kim
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013585:Synovitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013710:Tendons / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography
Shoulder joint; Synovial fluid; Synovitis; Tendons; Ultrasonography