ULTRASOUND-GUIDED ASPIRATION OF SYMPTOMATIC SUPRASPINATUS CALCIFIC DEPOSITS

11 consecutive patients with shoulder pain were referred from the shou lder clinic for plain radiography. Supraspinatus calcific deposits wer e suspected after other causes of shoulder pain had been eliminated by clinical examination and local anaesthetic tests. Radiographs confirm ed calcific deposits in ah 11 shoulders and all deposits were shown by ultrasound to be lying in the supraspinatus tendon. Using a free-hand ultrasound guidance technique, a 19 G needle was passed percutaneousl y into all 11 shoulders in an attempt to aspirate the deposit. Six pat ients experienced immediate pain relief or relief on the same day, whi lst four others were pain free at the 2 weeks follow-up clinic. One pa tient who was thought to have a co-existing supraspinatus tear diagnos ed by the scan was symptomatically unchanged.