Outcomes of ultrasound-guided extracorporeal shock wave therapy for painful stump neuroma

Application of extracorporeal shock wave therapy in nervous system diseases: A review

Neurological disorders are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and their therapeutic options remain limited. Recent animal and clinical studies have shown the potential of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) as an innovative, safe, and cost-effective option to treat neurological disorders. Moreover, the cellular and molecular mechanism of ESWT has been proposed to better understand the regeneration and repairment of neurological disorders by ESWT. In this review, we discuss the principles of ESWT, the animal and clinical studies involving the use of ESWT to treat central and peripheral nervous system diseases, and the proposed cellular and molecular mechanism of ESWT. We also discuss the challenges encountered when applying ESWT to the human brain and spinal cord and the new potential applications of ESWT in treating neurological disorders.

[Involuntary movements of the stump after transtibial amputation: Jumping stump syndrome]

45-year-old woman with history of hallux valgus surgery and torpid evolution, which led to transtibial amputation. Six months after surgery, she began to experience involuntary movements of the stump such as myoclonus, that were triggered by touch or hip extension, associating worsening of the previous stump and phantom limb pain. During the following year, concurring with change of prosthesis, symptoms progressively worsened, which limited walking. The therapeutic approach to pain and myoclonus was initially pharmacological, without response. Given the clinical and ultrasound suspicion of neuroma in the external popliteal sciatic nerve, it was infiltrated with corticosteroid and anesthetic, and the gastrocnemius with botulinum toxin type A, without success. Finally, the myoclonus disappeared, and the pain decreased after surgical remodeling of the stump and resection of the neuroma. This clinical picture is known as jumping stump syndrome and is a rare complication that must be considered after amputation.

The effect of radial shockwave on the median nerve pathway in patients with mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized clinical trial

Background

This study aimed to evaluate the short-term effect of radial shockwave on the median nerve pathway as a new model method in patients with mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome.

Methods

In this randomized clinical trial, 60 patients were randomly allocated into three equal groups. The first group received 1500 shocks on the carpal tunnel, the second group received 1500 shocks on the carpal tunnel and median nerve pathways, and the third group was the control group. In all three groups, patients received conventional physiotherapy for ten sessions. In addition, patients in experimental groups received four sessions of radial shockwave. Pain and paresthesia intensity, sensory and motor distal latency were evaluated as primary outcomes. Boston carpal tunnel Questionnaire scores were evaluated as secondary outcomes. Evaluations were performed at baseline, 1 and 4 weeks after the end of the treatment.

Results

Pain and paresthesia intensity and Boston questionnaire score significantly decreased in all three groups, but the greater improvement was noted in shockwave groups. Sensory and motor distal latency were only improved in shockwave groups. In terms of clinical and electrophysiological parameters, two groups of shockwaves showed similar results.

Conclusions

Radial shockwave combined with conventional physiotherapy is an effective noninvasive treatment for mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome that produces greater and longer-lasting results than conventional physiotherapy alone. There were no differences observed between utilizing radial shockwave on the carpal tunnel or median nerve pathways on the palmar surface of the hand, in terms of clinical and electrophysiological measurements.

Clinical Trial registration number The study was registered at https://fa.irct.ir/user/trial/49490/view (20200706048028N1) in date of 08/24/2021.

Residual limb pain: An evidence-based review

Acquired limb loss, whether from accident or amputation, occurs with an incidence of greater than 175,000 per year in the United States. Current prevalence is estimated at greater than 1.5 million and is expected to double within 30 years. While many patients with amputations may have no significant pain or sensory issues after healing from the initial loss, one-quarter to one-half of patients may have ongoing difficulties with residual limb pain, phantom limb pain, or phantom limb sensation. This review explores the potential etiologies of those symptoms, as well as a variety of treatment options that a practitioner may consider when approaching this condition.

The Effectiveness of Platelet-Rich Plasma and Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Compared with Platelet-Rich Plasma in the Treatment of Moderate Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the combination effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) for moderate carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), compared with PRP alone.

DESIGN

A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.

SETTING

A single medical center in Taiwan.

PATIENTS

Patients diagnosed with moderate CTS.

INTERVENTIONS

All subjects were administered one dose of ultrasound-guided PRP injection at baseline. After two weeks, one session of rESWT was completed in the intervention group, whereas the control group received one session of sham rESWT. Evaluations were performed at baseline and one, three, and six months post-PRP injection.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire (BCTQ) was measured as the primary outcome. Electrophysiological study and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the median nerve were used as secondary outcomes.

RESULTS

All 40 enrolled subjects (male/female: 4/36) completed the study, resulting in an analysis of 32 wrists per group (total: N = 64 wrists). Compared with the control group, the intervention group did not show statistically significantly superior outcomes, except in BCTQs at one month (mean change ± SE = -11.47 ± 1.18 vs -7.06 ± 1.26, P = 0.013) and distal motor latency at three months (mean change ± SE = -0.59 ± 0.09 vs -0.30 ± 0.09, P = 0.031).

CONCLUSIONS

Combined PRP and one-session rESWT was not superior to PRP alone in treating moderate CTS. Further studies with multiple sessions of ESWT and longer follow-up periods are needed to verify the clinical efficacy of ESWT.

Painful Traumatic Neuromas in Subcutaneous Fat: Visibility and Morphologic Features With Ultrasound

OBJECTIVES

Subcutaneous neuromas usually result from trauma and may lead to dissatisfaction in patients with a trigger point, loss of sensitivity in the relevant territory of innervation, and spontaneous neuropathic pain. Confirming clinically suspected cases of neuroma may prove difficult. The objective of this study was to evaluate the visibility and morphologic features of traumatic subcutaneous neuromas of the limbs with ultrasound (US).

METHODS

Between January 2012 and August 2016, 38 consecutive patients clinically suspected of having subcutaneous neuromas were investigated with US. The diagnosis was confirmed on the basis of a focal morphologic abnormality of the nerve associated with trigger pain. Each neuroma was classified into 1 of 3 subtypes based on its injury pattern. The subtypes were terminal neuroma, spindle neuroma, and scar encasement, either isolated or associated with these subtypes.

RESULTS

Forty-four lesions were found in the 38 patients, including 29 spindle neuromas (65.9%), 14 terminal neuromas (31.8%) and 1 scar encasement with no nerve caliber abnormality (2.3%). Fifteen neuromas (35% of all neuromas) were associated with scar encasement. In 13 cases that required surgery, the diagnosis of neuroma or scar encasement could be surgically proven and confirmed the validity of the US findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Ultrasound can be used to show and classify subcutaneous nerves of the upper and lower limbs with high accuracy. The US trigger sign provides an indication of neuroma involvement in pain. This modality can play a substantial role both in the preoperative planning of neuroma surgery and in therapeutic US-guided procedures.

Study of the mechanisms of action of the hypoalgesic effect of pressure under shock waves application: A randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To determine if the perceived pain intensity during the application of shock waves (SWs) is a determinant mechanism in producing hypoalgesic changes in pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) in asymptomatic individuals.

DESIGN

A randomised, single-blind controlled trial [NCT03455933].

SETTING

University.

PARTICIPANTS

Sixty-three asymptomatic individuals.

INTERVENTIONS

Participants were randomised into three groups: 1-SWs causing mild pain (SW-DP); 2-SWs generating moderate pain (SW-MP); and 3-cold pressor test (CPT).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Before and after the intervention, the PPT was evaluated bilaterally at the following points: lateral epicondyle, median nerve in the flexure of the elbow, and tibia.

RESULTS

The results showed differences between various groups over time for all PPTs assessments, due to the existence of statistically significant differences in the interaction group x times (dominant arm lateral epicondyle [P < 0.001; η²p = 0.255]; dominant arm median nerve [P = 0.001; η²p = 0.212]; nondominant arm lateral epicondyle [P < 0.001; η²p = 0.275]; nondominant arm median nerve [P < 0.001; η²p = 0.268]; tibia [P = 0.012, η²p = 0.138]). The SW-MP group obtained a significant increase in all the PPT evaluations compared with the SW-DP group (d > 0.80). The CPT group only showed significantly higher results, and of high magnitude (d > 0.80), regarding the SW-DP group for the PPT evaluation in the dominant member. The SW-MP group showed differences compared with the CPT only for the PPT obtained in the nondominant arm.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings show that SW treatment generates a hypoalgesic effect on the application point, with moderate pain. Further studies are necessary in order to link these hypoalgesic changes to the activation of the descending inhibitory systems.

The dose-dependent efficiency of radial shock wave therapy for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome: a prospective, randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Recently, extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) has been shown to be a novel therapy for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). However, previous studies did not examine the diverse effects of different-session ESWT for different-grades CTS. Thus, we conducted a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled study. Sixty-nine patients (90 wrists) with mild to moderate CTS were randomized into 3 groups. Group A and C patients received one session of radial ESWT (rESWT) and sham eESWT per week for 3 consecutive weeks, respectively; Group B patients received a single session of rESWT. The night splint was also used in all patients. The primary outcome was Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire (BCTQ) points, whereas secondary outcomes included the sensory nerve conduction velocity and cross-sectional area of the median nerve. Evaluations were performed at 4, 10, and 14 weeks after the first session of rESWT. Compared to the control group, the three-session rESWT group demonstrated significant BCTQ point reductions at least 14 weeks, and the effect was much longer lasting in patients with moderate CTS than mild CTS. In contrast, the effect of single-session rESWT showed insignificant comparison. rESWT is a valuable strategy for treating CTS and multiple-session rESWT has a clinically cumulative effect.

Effect of radial shock wave therapy for carpal tunnel syndrome: A prospective randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Three recent studies demonstrated the positive effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) for treating carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). However, none have entirely proved the effects of ESWT on CTS because all studies had a small sample size and lacked a placebo-controlled design. Moreover, radial ESWT (rESWT) has not been used to treat CTS. We conducted a prospective randomized, controlled, double-blinded study to assess the effect of rESWT for treating CTS. Thirty-four enrolled patients (40 wrists) were randomized into intervention and control groups (20 wrists in each). Participants in the intervention group underwent three sessions of rESWT with nightly splinting, whereas those in the control group underwent sham rESWT with nightly splinting. The primary outcome was visual analog scale (VAS), whereas the secondary outcomes included the Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire (BCTQ), cross-sectional area (CSA) of the median nerve, sensory nerve conduction velocity of the median nerve, and finger pinch strength. Evaluations were performed before treatment and at 1, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the third rESWT session. A significantly greater improvement in the VAS, BCTQ scores, and CSA of the median nerve was noted in the intervention group throughout the study as compared to the control group (except for BCTQ severity at week 12 and CSA at weeks 1 and 4) (p < 0.05). This is the first study to assess rESWT in a randomized placebo-controlled trial and demonstrate that rESWT is a safe and effective method for relieving pain and disability in patients with CTS. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:977-984, 2016.