Ultrasound-guided vs. Blinded Dry Needling for Piriformis Syndrome

May 20, 2023 updated by: Mustafa Hüseyin Temel, Uskudar State Hospital

Ultrasound-guided vs. Blinded Dry Needling for Piriformis Syndrome: A Randomized Trial

This randomized controlled trial aims to compare the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided versus blinded dry needling for the treatment of piriformis syndrome.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This randomized controlled trial aims to compare the efficacy of ultrasound-guided versus blinded dry needling for the treatment of piriformis syndrome. Patients in both groups will receive three weekly sessions of dry needling performed by a single experienced physiatrist. The intervention will involve inserting a sterile acupuncture needle into the trigger points of the piriformis muscle and manipulating the needle to elicit a twitch response. Patients in the ultrasound-guided group will receive dry needling under real-time ultrasound guidance, while patients in the blinded group will receive dry needling without ultrasound guidance. Patients will be assessed before treatment, after treatment, after the third week, and after three months.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
60

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Male or female patients aged 18-65 years.
  • Clinical diagnosis of piriformis syndrome based on the following criteria: buttock pain, radiating pain to the posterior thigh, and tenderness over the piriformis muscle.
  • Pain intensity of at least 4 out of 10 on a visual analog scale (VAS).
  • Willingness to comply with the study protocol and provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Previous surgery or injection therapy for piriformis syndrome.
  • Contraindications to dry needling, such as bleeding disorders or skin infections.
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
  • History of neurological disorders, such as sciatica, radiculopathy, or neuropathy.
  • History of serious psychiatric illness or substance abuse.
  • Inability to complete the study questionnaires or follow-up assessments.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Ultrasound-guided dry needling group
Patients in this group will receive dry needling for piriformis syndrome under real-time ultrasound guidance.
Procedure: Ultrasound-guided dry needling
Ultrasound-guided dry needling is a minimally invasive technique that involves inserting a sterile acupuncture needle into trigger points of a muscle while monitoring the needle's progress with real-time ultrasound imaging. In this technique, a trained practitioner visualizes the piriformis muscle and the surrounding structures using an ultrasound machine, and then inserts the needle through the skin and into the muscle tissue, guided by the ultrasound image.
Active Comparator: Blinded dry needling group
Patients in this group will receive dry needling for piriformis syndrome without ultrasound guidance.
Procedure: Blinded dry needling
Blinded dry needling is a minimally invasive technique that involves inserting a sterile acupuncture needle into trigger points of a muscle without using real-time imaging guidance. In this technique, the practitioner relies solely on their palpation skills to locate the trigger points of the piriformis muscle and inserts the needle through the skin and into the muscle tissue.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Visual Analog Scale for Pain
Time Frame: First day, after three weeks, after three months
A Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain is a commonly used tool to measure the intensity of pain experienced by a patient. It typically consists of a horizontal or vertical line, typically 10 centimeters long, with endpoints labeled as "no pain" and "worst possible pain." The patient is asked to mark on the line the point that best represents the intensity of their pain, with the distance from the "no pain" end of the line to the patient's mark representing the pain score.
First day, after three weeks, after three months
Change in Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)
Time Frame: First day, after three weeks, after three months
The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is a self-administered questionnaire that is widely used to assess the functional status of patients with low back pain or sciatica. The ODI consists of 10 sections, each relating to a different aspect of functional impairment, such as pain intensity, personal care, lifting, walking, sitting, standing, sleeping, social life, traveling, and employment/homemaking. Each section is scored on a scale of 0-5, with a total score ranging from 0 (no disability) to 50 (complete disability). The ODI is a validated and reliable tool for assessing functional status and has been used in many clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions for low back pain or sciatica.
First day, after three weeks, after three months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Uskudar State Hospital

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Mustafa H Temel, M.D., Üsküdar State Hospital

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
July 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 1, 2023

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
February 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 7, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 20, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 31, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 31, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 20, 2023

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Priformis1

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data will be shared upon reasonable request by the corresponding author.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

1 month.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Individual participant data will be shared upon reasonable request by the corresponding author.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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