Is Ultrasound-guided or Landmark-guided Intra-articular Lidocaine Injection More Effective for Pain Control in Anterior Shoulder Dislocation Reduction? A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Effective pain control during reduction of shoulder dislocation is essential for patient comfort. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research comparing the efficacy of different pain management techniques, specifically landmark-guided and ultrasound-guided intra-articular analgesic injections.

Questions/purposes: Among patients undergoing closed reduction of a shoulder dislocation, were there differences between an intra-articular shoulder injection placed using anatomic landmarks and an ultrasound-guided intra-articular injection in terms of (1) pain before versus after the injection and pain before injection versus after the reduction, or (2) length of stay in the emergency department and complications of the procedure?

Methods: Between August 2021 and March 2023, 28 patients with anterior shoulder dislocation were treated at the emergency department of a tertiary referral care center.