Arthroscopic Treatment in Calcific Tendinitis of the Shoulder

견관절 석회성 건염의 관절경적 치료

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the final outcome after arthroscopic calcific removal in the calcific tendinitis of the shoulder joint and to analyze the influencing factors to affect the surgical treatment on the final results. From September, 1993 to March, 2000, arthroscopic removal of the calcific deposit in the shoulder joint was performed in 34 consecutive patients who had had typical symptoms and failed with the conservative treatment and 21 cases of 20 patients could be followed up at least 2 years. Fourteen cases(67%) were located in the supraspinatus, 5 cases(24%) in the infraspinatus and 2 cases(9%) in the subscapularis. Preoperative severity of symptoms was correlated with higher postoperative score. Pain was relieved from 7.6 to 0.9(Visual Analogue Scale:VAS) and UCLA score improved from 13.9 preoperatively to 32.0 postoperatively, but there was no statiscally significant difference in according to the deposit size(P=0.386). Pain and UCLA score improved from 7.9 to 0.4 and from 12.7 to 33.0 respectively when a calcific deposit was located in the supraspinatus, from 7.6 to 1.0 and from 14.8 to 33.4 in the infraspinatus but pain relieved from 6.5 to 4.0 and UCLA score improved from 20.0 to 22.5 in the subscapularis and these outcomes were shown a statiscal significance(P=0.001). Completeness of removal did not affect the final results(P>0,05). Excellent was 23.8% in 5 cases, good 66.7% in 14 cases, fair 4.8% in 1 and poor 4.8% in 1, and patients were satisfied with their final results in 81 %.