CORTICOTROPIN (ACTH) IN THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE SUBACROMIAL BURSITIS

Abstract

The multiplicity of "successful" treatments advocated for subacromial bursitis indicates that failures are common. Various treatments that have been used are injection of the subacromial bursa with procaine hydrochloride, iron cacodylate injections, short wave local treatment, hot moist packs, immobilization, surgical excision of the bursa, radiation therapy, and manipulation of the shoulder with the patient under a general anesthetic. Radiation therapy has been more or less accepted as being the most efficacious treatment for acute subacromial bursitis. Meyerding and Ivins¹ stated that acute lesions have responded to roentgen treatment in contrast to failure in cases of more chronic lesions. Forty of the 150 patients in their series were treated with roentgen rays. Lattomus and Hunter² found that the best results were obtained in the cases of acute disease, either first attacks or acute exacerbations of a chronic condition. Leucutia (in Portmann³) stated that the severe pain in