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Ultrasound-guided arthroscope insertion and decompression of a supraspinous fossa cyst

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Abstract

A cyst arising in the scapular supraspinous fossa may cause shoulder pain; subsequently, enlargement of the cyst may result in severe compression of the adjacent suprascapular nerve, leading to muscle weakness and sensory disorder. Decompression of the nerve through cyst removal is effective in resolving these symptoms. However, treatment can also be performed less invasively through arthroscopy. Insertion of an arthroscope without visual guidance could cause tissue damage and, consequently, would become an invasive procedure itself. The use of ultrasonography to guide the scope to the cyst decreases the invasiveness of the procedure. Here, we present the case of a patient with a cyst arising in the scapular supraspinous fossa, in whom we could relatively readily and safely observe the cyst by advancing an arthroscope under ultrasonographic guidance. The suprascapular nerve was decompressed via cyst removal.

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Conflict of interest

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nishinara Central Hospital, 5-2-6 Hyakurakuen, Nara City, 631-0024, Japan

    Tomohisa Hashiuchi, Goro Sakurai, Koichi Sawai, Tatsuya Komei, Masataka Shimaya & Yoshinori Takakura

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan

    Tsukasa Kumai & Yasuhito Tanaka

Authors
  1. Tomohisa Hashiuchi
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  2. Goro Sakurai
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  3. Koichi Sawai
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  4. Tatsuya Komei
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  5. Masataka Shimaya
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  6. Yoshinori Takakura
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  7. Tsukasa Kumai
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  8. Yasuhito Tanaka
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tomohisa Hashiuchi.

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Hashiuchi, T., Sakurai, G., Sawai, K. et al. Ultrasound-guided arthroscope insertion and decompression of a supraspinous fossa cyst. J Med Ultrasonics 40, 475–481 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-013-0452-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-013-0452-5

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