Ultrasound-guided double-needle lavage for acute calcific periarthritis of the hand: technical description and preliminary experience in five patients.

Abstract

This study describes a standardized ultrasound-guided double-needle lavage technique for acute calcific periarthritis of the hand and reports its technical feasibility and preliminary clinical outcomes. Five consecutive patients underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous lavage. Clinical characteristics, affected joint, calcification size, sonographic features, complications, and visual analog scale (VAS) scores at baseline, 1 week, and 1 month were recorded. Four cases involved the metacarpophalangeal joints, whereas one involved the interphalangeal joint. Mean calcification size was 14.4 ± 6.0 mm. All deposits were mature and showed no posterior acoustic shadowing. Mean VAS decreased from 8.8 ± 1.8 at baseline to 0.4 ± 0.5 at 1 week and 0.2 ± 0.4 at 1 month, corresponding to mean pain reductions of 94.2% and 96.7%, respectively. No complications occurred. Ultrasound-guided lavage appears feasible, safe, and minimally invasive, providing rapid and substantial pain relief. Larger prospective studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.