Transarterial Embolization for Refractory Non-Cervical-Origin Interscapular Pain Following Ultrasound-Guided...

Area of Science:

• Interventional Radiology
• Pain Management
• Vascular Interventions

Background:

• Chronic interscapular pain refractory to conservative treatments poses a significant clinical challenge.
• Ultrasound-guided injections provide initial relief but may not be sufficient for all patients.
• Salvage therapy options are limited for patients with persistent, severe interscapular pain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility, practicality, safety, and preliminary outcomes of transarterial embolization (TAE) for chronic interscapular pain.
• To assess TAE as a salvage therapy in patients with pain refractory to ultrasound-guided injections.
• To compare pain reduction and clinical success rates between TAE and continued conservative management.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective feasibility study of 20 patients with chronic interscapular pain (Numeric Rating Scale [NRS] ≥5).
• Ten patients received TAE targeting the transverse cervical artery after inadequate relief from injections; ten served as a comparison group.
• Pain outcomes assessed via NRS scores at 1, 3, and 6 months post-procedure; technical success and safety were monitored.

Main Results:

• TAE group showed significant pain reduction post-procedure (NRS from 7.4 to 2.1 at 6 months, p < 0.001).
• Clinical success rates in the TAE group reached 90% at 1 month, 100% at 3 months, and 90% at 6 months.
• TAE was safe, with only self-limited adverse events reported; no severe complications occurred.

Conclusions:

• Transarterial embolization (TAE) is a safe and effective salvage therapy for chronic interscapular pain refractory to injection therapy.
• TAE demonstrates promising preliminary clinical outcomes, significantly improving pain scores in a challenging patient population.
• Further prospective, randomized studies are warranted to confirm findings and optimize patient selection for TAE.