Significance of the elimination of deposits in patients treated for calcifying tenditis of the shoulder.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of complete elimination of the calcific deposit on the clinical outcome in patients with a recalcitrant calcifying tendini tis of the shoulder. Patients and methods: 50 patients with a chronic calci fying tendinitis of the shoulder (Type Gartner I or II) underwent a single application of extracorporeal shock waves (3000 impulses, energy flux densi ty 0.60 mJ/mm(2)). After one year 45 patients were evaluated radiologically and clinically. Results: Radiologically a complete absorption of the calci fic deposit was observed in 21 patients (47%). In 9 patients there was no r adiological change. The radiological success was closely related to the rad iomorphology of the deposit. 18 out of 27 good or excellent results were ac companied by a complete disintegration of the deposit. We calculated a sign ificant dependency between complete disintegration of the deposit and a goo d/excellent clinical result (p = 0.0002). Patients with a completely disint egrated deposit had significantly better scores than those with a partial d isintegration of the calcium (p = 0.02), and than those with no radiomorpho logical changes (p = 0.0003). Spearman's correlation coefficient was 0.6. C onclusion: Elimination of the deposit is paramount for a good clinical outc ome and should be the main goal for any treatment.