Suprascapular nerve block versus intraarticular corticosteroid in the treatment of periarthritis shoulder

Abstract

Periarthritis shoulder, Frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis, presents as a significant clinical challenge with various therapeutic strategies being explored. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of suprascapular nerve block (SSNB) and intraarticular steroids, both adjunctive to physical therapy, in managing periarthritis shoulder. : We conducted a comparative study involving 50 patients diagnosed with frozen shoulder. Patients were segregated into two groups: one received SSNB (n=25), and the other received intraarticular steroids, followed by physical therapy in both groups.: Patients undergoing SSNB showed a significant reduction in SPADI scores over a 12-week follow-up period, with a mean reduction of 64%. This group also recorded patient satisfaction scores of 8.5 ± 1.2 on a VAS (0-10) and a quality of life score of 85 ± 10 on the SF-36 scale. In contrast, the intraarticular steroids group, while also showing improvement, lagged behind the SSNB group in these metrics.: SSNB, when combined with physical therapy, emerges as a promising therapeutic strategy for periarthritis shoulder, demonstrating superior efficacy compared to intraarticular steroids in terms of pain reduction, function enhancement, and patient satisfaction. Further extensive studies are warranted to affirm these findings.