Overview
This injection procedure is performed to diagnose and relieve the pain of piriformis syndrome, an irritation of the sciatic nerve caused by a contraction of the piriformis muscle in the buttocks.
Preparation and Approach
In preparation for the procedure, the patient lies on the stomach, and the skin at the injection site is numbed. Then, the physician uses a fluoroscope to carefully guide a needle into the piriformis muscle. A small amount of contrast dye is injected to confirm that the needle is positioned properly.
Injection
When the needle is correctly positioned, an anesthetic and steroid mediation is injected into the muscle. The medication will reduce the inflammation, relieving pain.
End of Procedure
Once the injection is complete, the patient is taken to a recovery area. If the injection is used for diagnostic purposes, the physician will wait to see if muscle pain temporarily subsides after the injection, which would confirm that the piriformis muscle is the source of the pain.
Knee Injections Ultrasound Guided Injections
Shoulder Ultrasound Guided Injections
Overview
This non-operative, outpatient procedure is designed to provide relief for patients with pain in the shoulder from conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and adhesive capsulitis. The technique allows the physician to inject an inflammation-reducing steroid with maximum accuracy.
Preparation
In preparation for the procedure, the physician swabs the shoulder, injects a numbing medication and positions a hand-held ultrasound probe that will allow the physician to visualize the anatomy of the shoulder and accurately inject the medication.
Injecting the Medication
The physician inserts a needle into the joint space and guides it to the problem area using ultrasound imagery. The medication is then injected into the joint.
End of Procedure
When the injection is complete, the needle is removed. The local anesthetic and steroid solution in the shoulder joint will reduce inflammation and pain. The injection can be repeated if necessary.
