Intra-articular Injections and Joint Lavage – Barbotage
Beyond the diagnostic applications of ultrasound, the ultrasound guidance of specific medical procedures, such as intra-articular injections and joint lavages, is even more important. For superficial joints, such as the shoulder and knee, ultrasound guidance may be considered overkill. However, this is not the case in the hip, where safely placing the needle with absolute certainty within the hip joint is considered significantly more difficult or in the knees of particularly obese patients.
This is exactly where ultrasound confirmation of the position of the needle tip is invaluable. For the same reason, joint lavages – barbotage, mainly (but not exclusively) in the shoulder joint are greatly facilitated by continuous ultrasound confirmation of the exact position of the needle tip in regard to the calcinosis. Therefore, the use of ultrasound in the musculoskeletal system also acquires therapeutic applications.