Ultrasound-guided injections for the retrotrochanteric region: A cadaveric investigation.
Kamal Mezian, Vincenzo Ricci, Ke-Vin Chang and 4 others
PMID 40355380WHAT IT FOUND
In embalmed cadavers, a deep ultrasound-guided injection reached the target between the piriformis/triceps coxae tendons and hip capsule in 86% of suitable sides, while superficial injections failed.
This confirms technical feasibility but does not prove pain relief in patients.
Key findings
01The deep intrabursal injection technique successfully placed dye in the target space in 86% of the seven suitable injected sides.
02Superficial peritendinous injections failed in both attempted cases, with dye remaining trapped in the overlying fat pad.
03Anatomical dissection showed the piriformis tendon consistently fused with the triceps coxae tendon in all 15 specimens examined.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was performed on embalmed cadavers, which do not simulate living tissue properties or patient feedback. The sample size was very small, with only five cadavers used for injections and fifteen for anatomical dissection. All injection specimens were female, and the low body mass index may have made injections easier than in patients with higher obesity rates. The superficial injection technique was abandoned after only two failures, so its true success rate is unknown. Dye placement was verified by dissection, not by real-time imaging confirmation of bursal entry.
Declared interests
The study was supported by the Ministry of Health, Czech Republic, through conceptual development of research organization grants. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the 86% success rate as evidence that this injection relieves pain in patients. This was a cadaveric study testing if fluid reaches a specific anatomical space, not a clinical trial measuring symptom improvement.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →