Canadian Physicians' Use of Ultrasound in Spasticity Treatment: A National Cross-Sectional Survey.
Fraser MacRae, Ève Boissonnault, Alto Lo and 6 others
PMID 39372249WHAT IT FOUND
Canadian physicians treating spasticity reported ultrasound as the most common guidance tool for injections, but time, clinic resources, training and compensation were barriers.
This is self-reported practice, not evidence of patient benefit.
Key findings
01Ultrasound was reported as the most frequently used guidance technique for BoNT injections.
0291% of respondents reported using ultrasound in spasticity practice, while 34% said they used it for more than three-quarters of their spasticity injections.
03Clinician time constraints were the most important perceived barrier to ultrasound use, with clinic financial resources, lack of adequate training, lack of physician compensation, and lack of effectiveness also reported.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
Only 36 of 138 eligible physicians completed the survey, a 26.09% response rate, so the findings may not represent all Canadian physicians. Respondents were recruited from CANOSC, an organization focused on spasticity education, so physicians interested in ultrasound may have been more likely to respond. The recruitment text says 34 people completed the survey, while the results and demographic table report 36; the paper does not explain this discrepancy. Very few respondents said they did not use ultrasound, possibly because physicians not using it were less likely to answer. Canadian allied health professionals were excluded, so the survey does not report allied health practice. The findings are self-reported and do not measure injection accuracy, safety, effectiveness, or patient outcomes. Canada is a developed country with access to resources, so the findings may not generalize internationally.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that ultrasound-guided injections improve spasticity outcomes. It only reports physicians' self-reported use and barriers.