[Intra-articular and periarticular punctures and injection therapy in clinical practice]

The author presents his own clinical experience in intra and periarticular injection therapy. He analyses 54 421 patients examined within the period of 10 years. The list of frequency of affections, due to which the patients were examined, is given in the following order: spine 27.4%, coxae 18.6%, knees 18.2%, ankles and feet 14.5%. The intraarticular and periarticular injections were most often applied into the knee 38%, arm 22%, and coxae 17%. Since the evaluation is arduous, the year 1991 was chosen to be analyzed, as the total of examinations in this year was 2774. Intraarticular and periarticular injections represent here a proportion of 15%. During this year 416 intraarticular and periarticular injections were performed, which would represent app. 4160 therapeutic interventions if recalculated per ten years. During this period cortisonoid arthropathy occurred twice (0.12%) and infectious arthritis once (0.024%). The best clinical results were accomplished following application of corticoids which were administered in 222 cases (53.4%). Yet in these cases local and general side-effects occurred. (Tab. 4, Ref. 11.)