• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.109-114
• /
• 2000

Ganglion cysts causing suprascapular nerve compression are uncommon cause of suprascapular nerve entrapment. The advent of magnetic resonance imaging and its application in patients with shoulder pain has improved the ability to diagnose cystic lesions causing extrinsic compression of the suprascapular nerve. We present two cases of suprascapular nerve compression by ganglion cyst which was decompressed by surgical excision. Suprascapular nerve compression was also revealed by magnetic resonance imaging(MRI), electromyogram(EMG) and clinical present of muscle atrophy and motor weakness. In each case, the symptom was resolved after sugical excision of the cystic lesion. We experienced two cases of suprascapular nerve entrapment by ganglion cyst and report the clinical, radiological and pathological findings in detail.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.147-150
• /
• 2001

Nerve compression of the suprascapular nerve by a suprascapular notch occasionally occurs, but compression by a ganglion is very rare. We had experienced a case of compression of the suprascapular nerve by ganglionic cyst at the suprascapular notch, which confirmed by electromyographic studies after the diagnosis was suspected. MRI scan showed multilobulated ganglionic cyst at the right suprascapular notch. The patient was treated by excision of the ganglion and had excellent result.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.103-107
• /
• 2004

We present a case of suprascapular entrapment syndrome by a lipoma that compressed inferior branch of suprascapular nerve at the spinoglenoid notch and treated successfully by surgical excision.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.36-41
• /
• 2021

Chronic shoulder pain not relieved by either conservative or surgical management is referred to as chronic refractory shoulder pain. This is a retrospective case series where chronic refractory shoulder pain patients were treated either with peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) or with pulsed radiofrequency (p-RF) therapy to the suprascapular nerve. Both patients receiving PNS reported 100% pain relief for the first month. At the 3- and 6-month follow-ups, one patient continued to experience 100% relief while the other reported 90% relief. One patient undergoing p-RF experienced about 90% pain relief at both 1- and 3-month intervals and 0% relief at the 6-month interval. The other patient with p-RF experienced 33% relief at 1-month and 0% relief thereafter. No patient reported any complications. The results of previous randomized controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of p-RF administered to the suprascapular nerve were mixed, and there is a lack of published studies on PNS effects. Neuromodulation of the suprascapular nerve can be effective for chronic refractory shoulder pain patients. Larger scale randomized controlled trials comparing PNS and p-RF are needed to better understand their respective therapeutic capacity.

• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.41-45
• /
• 2012

Among the various reasons that can cause entrapment of suprascapular nerve, suprascapular cyst is not commonly found and more often, overlooked or misdiagnosed. Authors experienced one case of suprascapular cyst causing suprascapular nerve entrapment confirmed by ultrasonography and MRI. Symptom of the patient was confined to infrascapular nerve. Percutaneous aspiration of cyst was done under the guidance of ultrasonography through Neviaser portal on out-patient department. After 8 weeks of follow-up, no recurrent lesion was found and objective functional improvement was identified. When clinicians confront with the symptoms compatible with suprascapular nerve entrapment, every effort should be put on finding lesion under ultrasonography before attempting any further cost-ineffective or time-wasting evaluation. Symptoms caused by space-occupying cyst will be soothed by simple decompression. However, always be aware of concomitant lesions that might be the reason for the cystic lesion and in some cases, further evaluation is inevitable.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.143-150
• /
• 1999

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe the characteristic clinical findings and treatment of suprascapular nerve entrapment by ganglion and to evaluate its results. Materials and Methods: Seven paitents with suprascapular nerve entrapment were evaluated on an average 13 months(range, six months to three years two months) after surgical excision and decompression. There were six males and one female. The mean age at operation was 31 years(range, 23 to 40 years), Suprascapular nerve entrapment were caused by compression of ganglion cyst in suprascapular notch or spinoglenoid notch in all cases. All patients complained of pain located over posterolateral area of the shoulder. Two patients had atrophy of both the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles, In four patients, only the infraspinatus muscle was involved. Muscle strength on both forward flexion and external rotation was decreased in two patients. In four patients, only external rotation was decreased. All patients underwent open excision of ganglion cyst and decompression. Results: The most dramatic effect of operation was prompt disappearance of pain in all patients. The average visual analog scale had improved from 7.2 to 0.6 point at the latest follow-up evaluation. An atrophy of the supraspinatus or infraspinatus muscle partially disappeared in four of six patients and muscle strength of forward flexion or abduction improved in all of six patients. The overall result was excellent for five patients and good for two. Conclusion: Surpascapular nerve entrapment by ganglionic cyst had clinically unique symptoms and signs on physical examination. Surgical excision is effective for symptomatic and functional outcomes. We believe that early intervention can be one of treatment modality before an irreversible damage occurs if the ganglion is large enough to compress suprascapular nerve, and to develop severe pain and muscular atrophy.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.339-346
• /
• 2022

Rotator cuff tear is the most common cause of shoulder pain in middle-age and older people. Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) is the most common treatment method for rotator cuff tear. Early postoperative pain after ARCR is the primary concern for surgeons and patients and can affect postoperative rehabilitation, satisfaction, recovery, and hospital day. There are numerous methods for controlling postoperative pain including patient-controlled analgesia, opioid, interscalene block, and local anesthesia. Regional blocks including interscalene nerve block, suprascapular nerve block, and axillary nerve block have been successfully and commonly used. There is no difference between interscalene brachial plexus block (ISB) and suprascapular nerve block (SSNB) in pain control and opioid consumption. However, SSNB has fewer complications and can be more easily applied than ISB. Combination of axillary nerve block with SSNB has a stronger analgesic effect than SSNB alone. These regional blocks can be helpful for postoperative pain control within 48 hours after ARCR surgery.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.23-25
• /
• 2007

The symptomatology of suprascapular neuropathy is variable, depending principally on the etiology and location of the lesion. Among them, suprascapular nerve entrapment with isolated paralysis of the infraspinatus muscle is uncommon. We report a 27-year-old man presenting with right arm weakness. Based on the electrophysiologic and imaging findings, suprascapular neuropathy at the spinoglenoid notch due to cystic mass lesion was diagnosed.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.230-234
• /
• 2007

A diagnosis of shoulder pain is varied and difficult to make. The initial onset of liver cancer is difficult to detect and patients typically do not complain of symptoms as most tumors are asymptomatic. If the symptoms of the patients develop, the first symptom is usually pain that extends from the abdomen to the back and shoulder. A suprascapular nerve block is used in the treatment of the referred shoulder pain due to a metastatic hepatoma, but the effectiveness of the treatment has been limited because of its short duration. Recently, the advent of pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) lesioning has proved a successful treatment for chronic refractory pain involving the peripheral nerves. We experienced a case of a 66-year-old male patient complaining of referred right shoulder pain due to metastatic liver cancer, which was relieved after PRF lesioning of the suprascapular nerve.

• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.84-88
• /
• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of suprascapular nerve block using platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) under ultrasonographic guidance in patients treated with arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Material and Methods: 50 cases of patients, from March 2013 to March 2014, treated with arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were retrospectively analyzed. We performed ultrasonography-guided suprascapular nerve block using platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) to these patients in the outpatient clinics at the 6 weeks follow-up after operation. We evalulated results for visual analogue score (VAS) for pain, range of motion (ROM), Constant Shoulder Score (CSS) for these patients before arthroscopic operation, following 6 weeks and 3 months after operation. Results: There was clinically significant improvement in VAS, ROM, CSS after ultrasonography-guided suprascapular nerve block using platelet-rich-plasma (PRP). Conclusion: Ultrasonography-guided suprascapular nerve block using platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) is an effective treatment method not only for around shoulder pain but also postoperative residual shoulder pain and limitation of shoulder motion.