Percutaneous injection (infiltration) under ultrasound control
Ultrasound-guided injection in Casablanca
An injection (infiltration) consists of placing a medicine, most often a corticosteroid (a powerful anti-inflammatory drug), in contact with the painful structure. Here, the radiologist follows the needle live on the ultrasound screen, without X-rays. This guidance helps reach a joint, a bursa (a small gliding sac), a tendon sheath or a compressed nerve, as in the carpal tunnel. The aim is to calm local inflammation that persists despite the usual treatments.
Duration, report and equipment
Duration
The procedure most often takes 10 to 20 minutes, including the ultrasound localization.
Report turnaround
Report within 24 hours. In an emergency, during opening hours, the report is handed over immediately.
Contact the center
This exam is booked by phone or WhatsApp.
When is this exam needed?
- Painful shoulder: bursitis or rotator cuff tendon disorders.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome, with tingling in the fingers.
- Tenosynovitis (inflammation of a tendon sheath) or trigger finger.
- Osteoarthritis or inflammation of a limb joint: knee, hip, ankle, hand or foot.
- Bursitis of the hip, knee or elbow.
- Morton's neuroma (an irritated nerve between two toes).
How the exam is done
The radiologist checks the prescription and your treatments, then explains the procedure. You sit or lie down depending on the area to be treated. A first pass of the probe, with a little gel, locates the target and the blood vessels to avoid. The skin is then disinfected and the probe is covered with a sterile cover.
After local anesthesia of the skin, if needed, the fine needle is guided to the target, which is visible in real time on the screen. The medicine is injected slowly: you may feel pressure, or a brief pain similar to your usual pain. A small dressing is applied, then you wait quietly for a few minutes. If an anesthetic was added, the area may stay numb for a few hours.
Preparation
- Tell us when you book about any anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication. Never stop it on your own: the radiologist will tell you whether it needs to be adjusted, together with the doctor who prescribed it.
- If you have diabetes, plan to check your blood sugar more often over the following days.
- Wear clothing that easily exposes the area to be treated.
- For the hand, knee or foot, come with someone: temporary numbness makes driving inadvisable right afterwards.
Fasting
No fasting in general: if your procedure requires it, the team will tell you when you book. A light meal before you come is recommended, to reduce the risk of feeling faint during the injection.
Contrast injection
No contrast agent is used, as ultrasound is enough to follow the needle. The medicine is usually a corticosteroid, often combined with a local anesthetic; for some types of osteoarthritis, your doctor may prescribe another product, such as hyaluronic acid.
Contraindications and precautions
- Skin infection at the injection site, ongoing infection or fever: the procedure is postponed.
- Known allergy to corticosteroids, the local anesthetic or disinfectants.
- Uncorrected bleeding disorder.
- Diabetes, especially if poorly controlled: blood sugar can rise after a corticosteroid.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding: no X-rays, but the medicine must be approved by the doctor.
- Prosthesis in the targeted joint.
Documents to bring
- Prescription specifying the area, the side and the prescribed product
- Recent ultrasounds, X-rays or MRIs of the area
- List of your current treatments, including anticoagulants, antiplatelet drugs and diabetes medication
- Latest INR result if you take a vitamin K antagonist
- Insurance or mutual insurance fund card
Price and insurance coverage
The center accepts coverage from insurance companies and the main mutual insurance funds. You submit the coverage request to your insurer or fund yourself. For AtlantaSanad and Sanlam, the center takes care of it.
No prices are shown on this site: Kenza gives you the exact price on WhatsApp, along with the coverage procedure for your situation.
Frequently asked questions
Why guide the injection with ultrasound?
Without guidance, the needle is placed based on body landmarks. Ultrasound shows the tendons, nerves, blood vessels and needle live. The radiologist can therefore aim more precisely and avoid fragile structures, without any radiation.
When does the injection start to work?
There is no fixed rule. The anesthetic sometimes brings relief for a few hours, then the pain may come back for one to two days before the corticosteroid takes effect, gradually. The effect varies from person to person and with the cause of the pain, and sometimes there is none.
What should I do in the following days?
Rest the area for one to two days: no sports, no heavy lifting, no repetitive movements. Temporary facial redness or a hot flush may follow a corticosteroid. See a doctor promptly if you develop a fever, if the skin around the injection site becomes red and warm, or if the pain clearly increases.
Can injections be repeated?
Yes, within certain limits. Doctors generally avoid giving many corticosteroid injections in the same place and space the procedures several weeks apart. Your referring doctor decides, with the radiologist, whether a new procedure is useful, depending on the result obtained and the area concerned.