Functional Outcome of Hydrodilation in Adhesive Capsulitis of Shoulder

Adhesive capsulitis, or frozen shoulder, is a painful and disabling condition characterized by progressive restriction of shoulder movement. Hydrodilatation, a minimally invasive procedure involving joint capsule distension, has been proposed as an effective treatment option. This study evaluates the functional outcomes of hydrodilatation in patients with adhesive capsulitis using the Constant-Murley score (CMS) and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, along with pre- and post-procedure range of motion (ROM) assessments.

A prospective observational study was conducted on 30 patients diagnosed with adhesive capsulitis who underwent hydrodilatation. Functional and ROM improvements were assessed at baseline, post-procedure, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

The mean age of participants was 47.7 ± 9.8 years. The study population comprised 14 males (46.7%) and 16 females (53.3%), indicating a slightly higher prevalence among females. Significant improvements were observed in active and passive abduction, adduction, forward flexion, and external rotation (P < 0.001). Internal rotation restriction reduced from 59.1% to 40.9% (P < 0.001). Functional scores (ASES and CMS) showed progressive improvement, with ASES increasing from 41.1 ± 6.1 to 65.9 ± 8.4 and CMS from 44.4 ± 5.8 to 64.8 ± 9.1 at 1 year (P < 0.001).

Hydrodilatation is an effective and well-tolerated intervention for improving shoulder function in adhesive capsulitis, with sustained benefits up to 1 year. Future studies should focus on standardizing treatment protocols and optimizing patient selection criteria.