Intralesional Versus Perilesional 5% Dextrose Injection in Partial Rotator Cuff Tears

Comparison of Clinical and Ultrasonographic Outcomes of Intralesional and Perilesional 5% Dextrose Injection in Patients With Partial Rotator Cuff Tears: A Prospective Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial

This prospective, randomized, double-blind controlled clinical trial aims to compare the clinical and ultrasonographic outcomes of intralesional and perilesional 5% dextrose injection in patients with partial rotator cuff tears. Eligible participants will be randomized into two parallel groups. Both groups will receive ultrasound-guided 5% dextrose injection to the supraspinatus enthesis. In addition, one group will receive intralesional 5% dextrose injection, while the other group will receive perilesional 5% dextrose injection using the peppering technique. Injections will be performed in three treatment sessions at 21-day intervals. All participants will receive a home-based exercise program after completion of the injection treatments. Clinical outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 9 weeks, and 12 weeks after treatment, and ultrasonographic outcomes will be assessed at baseline and 12 weeks.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy; Shoulder Pain Chronic; Partial Rotator Cuff Tears; Supraspinatus Tendon Tear
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Intralesional 5% Dextrose Injection; Procedure: Perilesional 5% Dextrose Injection

Detailed Description

Rotator cuff tears are one of the leading causes of shoulder pain and functional limitation. Partial rotator cuff tears may become chronic and may not respond adequately to conventional conservative treatments such as activity modification, physical therapy, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Dextrose injection is a regenerative injection therapy that aims to stimulate tissue healing responses in chronic musculoskeletal disorders. It is thought to promote fibroblast activation, collagen synthesis, and proliferative healing processes in degenerative tendon, ligament, and enthesis lesions. Ultrasound guidance allows accurate and safe delivery of the injectate to the target tissue and enables objective follow-up of tendon morphology during the treatment process.

This study will include adult patients with partial rotator cuff tears diagnosed by clinical examination and imaging. Participants will be randomized into two groups using a computer-based random number system. The researcher performing the randomization will know the treatment allocation, while the participants and the physician assessing the clinical outcomes will be blinded to treatment groups.

Both groups will receive ultrasound-guided 5% dextrose injection to the supraspinatus enthesis. The intralesional group will additionally receive intralesional 5% dextrose injection, and the perilesional group will additionally receive perilesional 5% dextrose injection. Injections will be applied using the peppering technique, with 0.1-0.2 cc administered to each point. A total of three treatment sessions will be performed at 21-day intervals.

Clinical outcomes will include shoulder pain assessed by the Numeric Rating Scale, shoulder pain and disability assessed by the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, and health-related quality of life assessed by the Short Form-12 Health Survey. Ultrasonographic outcomes will include supraspinatus tendon thickness and partial defect size. Clinical evaluations will be performed at baseline, 9 weeks, and 12 weeks after treatment. Ultrasonographic evaluations will be performed at baseline and 12 weeks.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Esra Ülgen Kıratlıoğlu, MD; Phone Number: +905079614194; Email: esraulgen@gmail.com

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Recruiting
    • Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Hospital
    • Contact: Esra Ülgen Kıratlıoğlu; Phone Number: +905079614194; Email: esraulgen@gmail.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of partial rotator cuff tear by a specialist physician after appropriate clinical examination and imaging evaluation
• Shoulder pain and functional limitation lasting for at least 3 months
• Clinically confirmed shoulder impingement findings, defined as at least one positive test among Neer, Hawkins-Kennedy, or painful arc tests
• Age between 18 and 75 years
• Ability to comply with the study procedures and attend follow-up visits regularly
• Willingness to participate in the study and provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Advanced cognitive impairment or dementia preventing reliable completion of questionnaires
• Refusal to participate in the study or inability to provide informed consent
• Full-thickness rotator cuff tear
• Major tendon pathology other than the supraspinatus tendon, such as full-thickness subscapularis tear or biceps tendon rupture
• Advanced acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis, marked impingement, or marked adhesive capsulitis
• Advanced glenohumeral joint arthritis
• Active infection, cellulitis, or dermatologic lesion at the injection site
• Bleeding diathesis or anticoagulant use
• Known allergy or intolerance to dextrose injection
• Intra-articular shoulder injection, including steroid, platelet-rich plasma, or prolotherapy, within the last 3 months
• Previous shoulder surgery
• Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, defined as HbA1c >8.5%, or severe endocrine or metabolic disorder
• Immunosuppression or active infection
• Rheumatologic shoulder involvement
• Neurological disease affecting shoulder movements
• Pregnancy
• Active malignancy

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intralesional 5% Dextrose Injection; Participants in this group will receive ultrasound-guided 5% dextrose injection to the supraspinatus enthesis. In addition, intralesional 5% dextrose injection will be applied to the partial rotator cuff tear using the peppering technique. Injections will be performed in three treatment sessions at 21-day intervals. All participants will receive a home-based exercise program after completion of the injection treatments.	Procedure: Intralesional 5% Dextrose Injection; Ultrasound-guided 5% dextrose injection will be applied to the supraspinatus enthesis and additionally into the partial tear lesion using the peppering technique. A volume of 0.1-0.2 cc will be administered to each point. The treatment will consist of three sessions performed at 21-day intervals.
Active Comparator: Perilesional 5% Dextrose Injection; Participants in this group will receive ultrasound-guided 5% dextrose injection to the supraspinatus enthesis. In addition, perilesional 5% dextrose injection will be applied around the partial rotator cuff tear using the peppering technique. Injections will be performed in three treatment sessions at 21-day intervals. All participants will receive a home-based exercise program after completion of the injection treatments.	Procedure: Perilesional 5% Dextrose Injection; Ultrasound-guided 5% dextrose injection will be applied to the supraspinatus enthesis and additionally around the partial tear lesion using the peppering technique. A volume of 0.1-0.2 cc will be administered to each point. The treatment will consist of three sessions performed at 21-day intervals.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Shoulder Pain Intensity Assessed by Numeric Rating Scale	Shoulder pain intensity will be assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale. Night pain, worst daytime shoulder pain, and average shoulder pain will be evaluated on a 0-10 scale, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst pain imaginable. Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity.	Baseline, 9 weeks, and 12 weeks after treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Shoulder Pain and Disability Assessed by the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index	Shoulder pain and disability will be assessed using the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index. The scale consists of 13 items in two domains: pain and disability. Each item is scored from 0 to 10, and the total score is converted to a 0-100 scale. Higher scores indicate greater pain and functional impairment.	Baseline, 9 weeks, and 12 weeks after treatment
Change in Health-Related Quality of Life Assessed by the Short Form-12 Health Survey	Health-related quality of life will be assessed using the Short Form-12 Health Survey. The questionnaire includes 12 items and provides physical component summary and mental component summary scores. Higher scores indicate better health-related quality of life.	Baseline, 9 weeks, and 12 weeks after treatment
Change in Supraspinatus Tendon Thickness Assessed by Ultrasonography	Supraspinatus tendon thickness will be measured in millimeters using shoulder ultrasonography with a high-frequency linear probe in a standardized position.	Baseline and 12 weeks after treatment
Change in Partial Rotator Cuff Defect Size Assessed by Ultrasonography	Partial rotator cuff defect size will be measured in millimeters using shoulder ultrasonography with a high-frequency linear probe in a standardized position.	Baseline and 12 weeks after treatment

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ankara City Hospital Bilkent
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: ESRA Ülgen Kıratlıoğlu, Ankara City Hospital Bilkent

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 30, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 30, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 7, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 7, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 30, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Ultrasonography; Prolotherapy; Ultrasound-guided injection; Numeric Rating Scale; Supraspinatus tendon; Intralesional injection; Dextrose injection; Perilesional injection; Partial rotator cuff tear; Shoulder Pain and Disability Index
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Joint Diseases; Arthralgia; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Shoulder Pain; Carbohydrates; Sugars; Hexoses; Monosaccharides; Glucose
• Other Study ID Numbers: E2-26-14590

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Individual participant data will not be shared due to privacy and ethical restrictions.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No