[Results of mobilization under anesthesia in adhesive capsulitis in relation to stage of the disease].

PROBLEM

Mobilisation under anaesthesia is a well approved method for the treatment of idiopathic adhesive capsulitis, the best time to perform the mobilisation, however, is difficult to define.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Thirty-nine patients who had been treated with mobilisation under anaesthesia for idiopathic adhesive capsulitis stage II or III were examined at an average follow-up time of 3.4 years.

RESULTS

This therapy failed in 10.3% of the patients. There were no differences in the follow-up results between both groups of patients, limitations in the range of motion remained in 20% of all patients. At follow up the average CONSTANT Score of the stage II patients was 86.8, that of the stage III patients was 89.9 points. However, manipulation under anaesthesia showed a significantly better influence on the course of the disease in patients with stage III than in patients with stage II adhesive capsulitis.

CONCLUSION

Mobilisation under anaesthesia is a successful therapy in adhesive capsulitis stage III, but should be performed in adhesive capsulitis stage II only in cases of decreasing pain in which the limitation in the range of motion is the main symptom.