SynthesisAnnals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England2023
Suprascapular nerve blockage for painful shoulder pathology - a systematic review and meta-analysis of treatment techniques.
Synthesis in Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.
- Non-Biologic Injections in Sports Medicine.Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine · 2026Review
- Image-guided versus landmark-guided suprascapular nerve block for shoulder pain in rotator cuff tears: a systematic review.JSES reviews, reports, and techniques · 2026Review
- Efficacy of Suprascapular Nerve Block and Pulsed Radiofrequency for Chronic Shoulder Pain in Parkinson's Disease.Pain research & management · 2026Article
- Impact of Corticosteroids in Suprascapular Nerve Block on Pain and Function in Chronic Rotator Cuff Disease: A Retrospective, Observational, Longitudinal, Analytical Cohort Study.Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Observational
- Effectiveness of ultrasound-guided pulsed radiofrequency ablation of suprascapular nerve versus local anaesthetics with steroids in patients with chronic shoulder pain: A randomised controlled trial.Indian journal of anaesthesia · 2024Article
- The suprascapular nerve block (SScNB) is easily administered using a landmark-based technique: A cadaveric study to assess nerve staining post-injection.Shoulder & elbow · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSuprascapular nerve blockade (SSNB) through injection (SSNBi) and/or pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) provide options for the management of painful shoulder pathology. Multiple techniques for delivery of SSNB are described but no consensus on optimal symptom control is available. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess patient-focussed outcomes in SSNB and explore the impact of variation in the technical application of this treatment modality.
methodsMEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL were searched for case series, cohort studies and randomised control trials published from database inception until 28 January 2021. Articles reporting use of SSNBi or PRF for treatment of shoulder pain with a minimum 3 months follow-up were included. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were extracted and the pooled standardised mean difference (SMD), weighted by study size, was reported. Quality of methodology was assessed using Wylde's nonsummative four-point system.
findingsOf 758 references, 18 studies were included, totalling 704 SSNB. Average pain improvement at 3 months was 52.3%, with meta-analysis demonstrating a SMD of 2.37. Whereas SSNBi combined with PRF shows the greatest SMD of 2.75, this did not differ significantly from SSNBi or PRF when used as monotherapy. Location of treatment and the guidance technique used did not influence outcome.
conclusionSSNBi and PRF provide safe and effective treatment for shoulder pain, as judged by PROMs. This may be of particular value in aging or comorbid patients and with surgical restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless of technique, patients experience a marked improvement in pain that is maintained beyond 3 months.
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