METHOD FOR EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF SOFT TISSUE DISEASES IN WORKERS FROM PHYSICAL OVEREXERTION AND MICROTRAUMATICS USING THE ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUE Russian patent published in 2019 - IPC A61B8/08 A61B5/22 

FIELD: medicine.

SUBSTANCE: invention refers to medicine, namely to occupational pathology, and can be used for early diagnosis of soft tissue diseases in workers from physical overexertion and microtraction. For periodical medical examinations, workers with length of service of 5 years and more are selected, professional activity of which is related to physical overexertion and microtraumatism of hand. Main and additional diagnostic criteria are established. To establish the main diagnostic criteria, the muscular force of the hands is measured by hand dynamometry. Results of the obtained dynamometry are compared with the data for the preceding medical examination year. Percentage of muscle strength of hands is determined by formula: CHMF = (Fh1 – Fh2) * 100 %/Fh1, where CHMF is percentage of change of hand muscle force, %; Fh1 is hand power of the previous study, daN; Fh2 is hand power of present study, daN. Hand is examined by ultrasonic diagnostics (USD) to detect signs of tendonopathy. Presence of changes in the structure of tendons of the flexors of the I–V fingers is stated. To establish additional diagnostic criteria, the employee is questioned for the presence of pathological sensations: pain, stiffness, numbness in hands. Stimulation electromyography of the upper extremities of the worker is additionally performed. Rate of signal passage through the sensory fibers of the median or ulnar nerves is reduced. If observing two primary diagnostic criteria and at least one additional diagnostic criterion, the patient is diagnosed with soft tissues disease of the hands. Main diagnostic criteria are the value of reducing the percentage of change of hand muscle force of the leading hand by the results of dynamometry for the preceding medical examination year by at least 5 %, and the presence of tendinopathy in the I–V fingers flexor tendon structure when performing SPM. Additional diagnostic criteria are as follows: presence/absence of complaints on pathological sensations in hands and/or reduction of speed of signal passage established by stimulating electromyography on sensory fibers of median or ulnar nerves.

EFFECT: method provides early diagnosis of hand soft tissue diseases in workers against physical overexertion and microtraumasis with length of service of 5 years and more due to use of a combination of clinical and functional survey data.

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