TREATMENT OF CALCAREOUS TENDINITIS OF THE SHOULDER WITH NEEDLE IRRIGATION - RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF QUESTIONNAIRES

212 patients with calcareous tendinitis of the shoulder were retrospec tively analysed with a pain questionaire after treatment with needle i rrigation. Age, sex, number of needle irigations and the time interval between treatment and interview were recorded from a file-card, also the side of affection. 149 questionnaires could be analysed by relatio nal data bank processing on a personal computer. The median pain durat ion previous to the irrigation was 24 months; the median time interval l between chalk deposition in x-ray studies of the shoulders and irrig ation was 6 months. The sex ratio was 2:1 with preference given to fem ales. The mean age at intervention was 47 years among the females and 49 years among the males; this age difference was not significant. The re was no relationship between the preferred hand for working and the side of subacromial chalk deposition. We found in 54.5% painful calcar eous depositions in the right shoulder and in 33.5% in the left. Both sides were affected in 12%. The median intervall between needle irriga tion and questionnaire analysis was 5 years. At this time 60% of all p atients were free of pain, 34% stated a marked relieve of pain and 6% were unchanged.