Efficacy of Percutaneous Ultrasonic Ablation of Soft Tissue (Tenex) in Tendinopathy and Fasciopathy

AbstractPurpose of ReviewPercutaneous ultrasonic ablation of soft tissue, otherwise known as percutaneous ultrasonic tenotomy (PUT) and percutaneous ultrasonic fasciotomy (PUF), has been utilized in the past several years for the treatment of chronic recalcitrant tendinopathy and fasciopathy. Recent studies have begun to investigate the efficacy of this procedure.Recent FindingsIn a limited number of case series, patients with chronic recalcitrant tendinopathy and fasciopathy do well following percutaneous ultrasonic ablation with improvement in pain and functional scores. In studies investigating the elbow, there is evidence of ultrasonic resolution of diseased tissue years following the procedure.SummaryOverall, despite intriguing findings to date, there is very limited evidence for use of percutaneous ultrasonic ablation in the treatment of tendinopathy or fasciopathy. While the evidence for the use of PUT and PUF presented in this review is intriguing, randomized, placebo-controlled trials are needed to truly determine efficacy.
Source: Current Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Reports - Category: Rehabilitation Source Type: research