Autologous blood injections for refractory lateral epicondylitis.

-



(Part of one of my paper in a upcoming journal……….)

Lateral epicondylitis is degenerative than an inflammatory process. Old treatment methods based on anti-inflammatory module delivery are facing theoretical nihilism. Currently few researchers are trying to inject autologous blood in to the painful area of the lateral elbow. The thought behind injection of autologous blood in such case is; it might provide the necessary cellular and humoral mediators to induce a healing cascade.

Example of a study:
Edwards SG et al injected 2ml autologous blood under the extensor carpi radialis brevis to treat refractory lateral epicondylitis. All patients had failed previous nonsurgical treatments including all or combinations of physical therapy, splinting, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, and prior steroid injections. The average follow-up period Edwards SG et al’s study was 9.5 months (range, 6-24 months).

They found:
After autologous blood injection therapy 22 patients (79%) in whom nonsurgical modalities had failed were relieved completely of pain even during strenuous activity. However we found quality of this study was not up to mark as it lacked good sample size, randomization and evaluation through standardized outcome measures etc.

More evidence required from keen researchers.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Entrapment of medial calcaneal nerve (MCN)

-
Image
Peripheral nerve entrapment is a rare, but important, cause of foot and ankle pain that often is underdiagnosed and mistreated. A peripheral nerve may become entrapped anywhere along its course, but certain anatomic locations are characteristic (2). The medial calcaneal nerve (MCN) The Tibial nerve is called the planter nerve in the sole. The tibial nerve passes to the sole of the foot takes a turn on the medial side of the calcaneum is called MCN. The medial calcaneal nerve arises from tibial nerve of the inner side of the ankle, perforates the laciniate ligament, travels downwards passing below the bony projection on the inner side of the ankle, and supplies the skin over the medial aspect of the heel. Hence it is the most important nerve for heel sensations. MCN have 2 branches. The anterior branch dominate the cutaneous sensation of the anterior part of the medial calcaneal and heel weight loading field, while the posterior branch dominate the sensation of the posterior an...
Read more

Differential diagnosis of Anatomic (Radial) snuffbox pain: It is not always DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis.

-
Image
Tendon, Bone & Ligament causes: 1. DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis: Swelling of tendon of APL (Abductor pollicis longus) & extensor pollicis brevis at lateral wrist near anatomic snuff box.  The primary complaint is radial sided wrist pain that radiates up the forearm with grasping or extension of the thumb. The pain has been described as a “constant aching, burning, pulling sensation." Pain is often aggravated by repetitive lifting, gripping, or twisting motions of the hand. Swelling in the anatomical snuff box, tenderness at the radial styloid process, decreased CMC abduction ROM of the 1st digit, palpable thickening of the extensor sheaths of the 1st dorsal compartment and crepitus of the tendons moving from the extensor sheath may be found upon examination. Other possible findings include weakness and paresthesia in the hand. Finkelstein’s diagnostic test will present positive provoking the patient’s symptoms. If left untreated, the inflammation and progressive narro...
Read more

Chronic fatigue syndrome

-
Introduction: Severe fatigue is a common complaint among patients. Often, the fatigue is transient or can be attributed to a definable organic illness. Some patients present with persistent and disabling fatigue, but show no abnormalities on physical examination or screening laboratory tests. In these cases, the diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) should be considered. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, USA) Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) currently is defined as: (1) fatigue of at least 6 months' duration, seriously interfering with the patient's life; and (2) without evidence of various organic or psychiatric illnesses that can produce chronic fatigue. The World Health Organization classifies myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/cfs) as a nervous system disease. Together with other diseases under the G93 heading, ME/cfs shares a triad of abnormalities involving elevated oxidative and nitrosative stress (O&NS), activat...
Read more