EUROSON 2010, Copenhagen, Denmark – Winner of the Young Investigator Award – Luca Maria Sconfienza M.D.

He has published 11 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals (total impact factor = 42,871), is co-author of 3 books and 5 book chapters. He also presented over 150 abstracts at Italian and foreign meetings. His research activity is mainly focused on skeletal radiology and ultrasound, ultrasound-guided procedures and pain treatment, and abdominal and genitor-urinary radiology. He won nine Italian and international scientific prizes for studies in musculoskeletal and genital ultrasound. In two years, he gave about 25 lectures on musculoskeletal and interventional ultrasound. He was involved as a radiologist in three international multi-centric clinical studies about inflammatory bowel diseases and rheumatoid arthritis.He is invited reviewer for European Radiology, European Journal of Radiology, Skeletal Radiology, European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology.

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Long-term Survey of Three Different Ultrasound (Us)-Guided Percutaneous Treatments of Plantar Fasciitis: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Sconfienza LM, Lacelli F, Bandirali M, Perrone N, Serafini G, Silvestri E

Università degli Studi – Genova, Italy

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Abstract

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Purpose

To compare the short- and long-term outcome of US-guided percutaneous treatment of patient affected with plantar fasciitis based on dry needling and local injection of steroid, compared with similar patients treated with simple steroid injection or dry needling.

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Methods and Materials

Among 75 patients referred for US-guided treatment of plantar fasciitis, 25 (12 males; age 43.8 ± 7.6) were treated with dry needling and local injection of steroid together; 25 (12 males; age 46.2 ± 12.3) were treated with dry needling only; 25 (11 males; age 52.7 ± 10.0) were treated only with local injection of steroid. Pain was assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) at baseline and at 7, 14, 30, 90, 180, 360 days after the procedure. Kruskall-Wallis test was used.

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Results

Patients treated with the complete procedure had a faster and more permanent decrease of symptoms (VAS at 7 days=1.2±0.4 and VAS at 360 days=0.0 ± 0.1). Patients treated only with injection of steroid had a quick decrease of pain that was not permanent on a long-term basis (VAS at 7 days=1.2 ± 0.6 and VAS at 360 days=5.2 ± 0.4). Patients treated only with needling had a permanent but very slow decrease of symptoms (VAS at 7 days=5.7 ± 0.5, at 30 days VAS=2.6 ± 0.4, at 90 days VAS=0.3 ± 0.8, and at 360 days VAS=0.1 ± 0.2). Difference was statistically significant (p<.001).

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Conclusion

Patients treated with the combined procedure had a better outcome than other groups. Pain relief is faster and more permanent compared with slower or not stable results obtained in the other patients.