Shoulder Hydrodilatation - Barking Havering and Redbridge ...

AFTER THE PROCEDURE:
You should organize someone to accompany
you home.
Avoid heavy lifting including driving
The shoulder may feel ‘squelchy’ for a day or
so. After the local anaesthetic has worn off
(about 4 hours), there may be an ache in the
shoulder for the first night. It can be painful up
to 3 days after the procedure.
If you want any advice on this procedure, the
numbers to call are listed on the back cover,
for advice.
This leaflet is a guide as to what is entailed
in this examination and the possible risks
and benefits of having this exam will be
discussed by the radiologist taking your
consent.
Information from the British Society of Interventional
Radiology (BSIR) and the Clinical
Radiology Patients’ Liaison Group (CRPLG)
of the Royal College of Radiologists has been
used in this leaflet.
Barking, Havering & Redbridge
University Hospitals NHS Trust
The Radiology Department
Queen’s Hospital
Useful Telephone Numbers:
X-Ray- 01708 435000 ext 3256
Or 01708 435301
(Monday to Friday 08.45 – 17.00 hrs)
0845 130 4204
(For use outside of the above hours)
www.bhrhospitals.nhs.uk
If you do not see or hear clearly and
require additional assistance, the Patient
Advice and Liaison Service will be happy
to help.
PALS OFFICE
24 hour answer phone
0800 389 8324
January 2012
Revision date 2014
DEPARTMENT OF
INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY
SHOULDER
HYDRODILATATION
An information leaflet
for patients and carers

What is
HYDRODILATATION
You have been
referred for a
hydrodilatation
for an adhesive
capsulitis also
known as a
‘frozen shoulder’.
This is a simple
procedure
whereby the joint
capsule is anaesthetized and stretched.
PURPOSE
The purpose of the treatment is to
improve mobility of the shoulder joint
and decrease pain in the shoulder.
THE PROCEDURE
You will be lying on an X-ray table.
The radiologist (doctor) assisted by a
radiographer will perform the
treatment using X-ray as guidance.
The skin is sterilized and anaesthetized.
A fine needle is placed into the shoulder
joint. Through this needle, a small
amount of contrast medium (iodine or
air), some local anaesthetic and steroid will be
injected into the joint.
Then up to 40ml of sterile saline will be injected
through the same needle to stretch the joint capsule.
This may cause a feeling of tightness, increased
pressure or heaviness in the shoulder or down the
arm. Some people may experience some pain and
should let staff know if this occurs. The procedure
itself takes less than 10 minutes.
RISKS AND PRECAUTIONS
No procedure is without risk; however there are
very few side effects to hydrodilatation.
1. Allergy – some
patients have a reaction
to the Cortisone. This
results in a red, itchy
rash developing 1-2
days after the procedure,
and may last for
up to a week and may
be associated with a
feeling of lethargy.
If you are allergic to X-ray contrast (iodine),
please inform the staff. The risk of getting an
allergic reaction to the dye is 1/100000. This is
slightly more common if you have other allergies
2. Insulin-dependent diabetics may notice a
moderate rise in blood sugar for up to 10
days after the injection.
3. Infection is a rare but potentially
serious complication. The incidence
of infection following steroid injection
is in the order of 1/10000-
20000. If you have any infected skin
lesions such as a pimple in the
shoulder region, the treatment will
be postponed. If your shoulder feels
hot and you are unwell with ‘flulike’
symptoms one to four days after
the procedure, please ring us or
go and see your local doctor and tell
that you had an injection into the
joint.
4. If, on the day of the procedure, you
are unwell (particularly with a bad
cold or ‘flu), please contact the department
to postpone your appointment
until you are well. This will
decrease the risk of infection.
5. Nursing mothers may prefer to delay
the procedure until after they have
finished breast feeding.