An interventional study of intraarticular corticosteroid injection (IACI) and suprascapular nerve block (SSNB) in Glenohumeral Arthritis and Rotator Cuff Arthropathy, sponsored by University of Minnesota. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 99 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-01-08.
Sponsored by University of Minnesota · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
The purpose of this study is to evaluate conservative pain relief measures for patients suffering from glenohumeral arthritis or rotator cuff arthropathy. Conservative management of osteoarthritis is often first line treatment, and while a corticosteroid injection is frequently used, suprascapular nerve blocks have not often been described as an analgesic option in this population.
4,398 studies on the registry are indexed under Osteoarthritis; 582 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 40 is below the median of 70 across 3,440 interventional studies indexed under Osteoarthritis.
Browse Osteoarthritis studies →University of Minnesota is the lead sponsor of 1,184 studies on the registry; 195 are open to participants now.
Of its 132 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 91 (69%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
Patients with glenohumeral osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or rotator cuff arthropathy who are poor surgical candidates or who are not interested in pursuing surgery randomized to intraarticular corticosteroid injection (IACI).
Other: intraarticular corticosteroid injection (IACI)
Patients with glenohumeral osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or rotator cuff arthropathy who are poor surgical candidates or who are not interested in pursuing surgery randomized to suprascapular nerve block (SSNB)
Other: suprascapular nerve block (SSNB)
The patient will be in a seated position. Correct patient, laterality, and procedure will be performed during the timeout. Ultrasound guidance will be used to identify the glenohumeral joint. The injection site will then be disinfected with an alcohol wipe. A 21, 22, or 23-gauge needle (depending on provider preference) will be advanced into the glenohumeral joint under direct ultrasound visualization. After entry into the glenohumeral joint, a negative aspiration will be performed. At that time, up to 1 mL of 40mg/mL methylprednisolone acetate will be injected be injected into the joint space.
The patient will be in a seated position. Correct patient, laterality, and procedure will be performed during the timeout. Ultrasound guidance will be used to identify the suprascapular nerve in its path at the suprascapular notch. After disinfection of the injection site with alcohol, anatomic landmarks for SSNB as described by Dangoisse et al. \[10\] will be marked with a marking pen. Ultrasound will be utilized to guide the tip of a 21, 22, or 23 gauge (depending on provider preference) needle to the floor of the suprascapular fossa while avoiding neurovascular structures. At that time, a mixture of up to 10 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine and 20 mg triamcinolone will be slowly injected to fill the fascial contents of the suprascapular fossa under direct ultrasound guidance.
change in visual analog scale (VAS) for pain
a validated continuous scale assessment for pain
Time frame: preintervention, 24 hours, 3 days, 1 month, and 3 months postintervention
single assessment numerical evaluation (SANE) of the shoulder
a validated tool providing a numerical score from 0-100 that assess shoulder function as subjectively reported by the subject. A higher score indicates superior shoulder function.
Time frame: preintervention, 24 hours, 3 days, 1 month, and 3 months postintervention
Oxford shoulder score (OSS)
a validated patient-reported outcome measure used to assess shoulder pain and functional disability. Possible scores range from 0-48 with higher scores indicating superior better shoulder function.
Time frame: preintervention, 24 hours, 3 days, 1 month, and 3 months postintervention
American shoulder and elbow surgeons (ASES) score
a validated survey with possible scores from 0-100 that assesses shoulder function as reported by the subject. A higher score indicates superior shoulder function.
Time frame: preintervention, 24 hours, 3 days, 1 month, and 3 months postintervention
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
University of Minnesota