Bipolar Radiofrequency Ablation Does Not Result in Full-Thickness Articular Cartilage Penetration: An Ex Vivo Bovine Investigation.

Purpose: To evaluate the depth of penetration of manufacturer-recommended bipolar radiofrequency (BRF) output in healthy hyaline cartilage.

Methods: Two matched knees from a bovine specimen were harvested for immediate testing. BRF probes were used to treat the articular cartilage in a hydrated noncontact technique employing a 1-mm spacer on patellar, condylar, and trochlear surfaces.

The impact of solid organ transplant history on inpatient complications, mortality, length of stay, and cost for primary total shoulder arthroplasty admissions in the United States.

Background: There is a growing population of patients with history of solid organ transplant (SOT) surgery among total joint patients. Patients with history of SOT have been found to have longer lengths of stay and higher inpatient hospital costs and complications rates after hip and knee arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to determine whether this is true for shoulder arthroplasty in SOT patients.

Triceps Tendon Ruptures: A Systematic Review.

Background: Triceps tendon ruptures (TTR) are an uncommon injury. The aim of this systematic review was to classify diagnostic signs, report outcomes and rerupture rates, and identify potential predisposing risk factors in all reported cases of surgical treated TTR.

Methods: A literature search collecting surgical treated cases of TTR was performed, identifying 175 articles, 40 of which met inclusion criteria, accounting for 262 patients.

Atypical Pectoralis Major Muscle Wasting in a Recreational Weight Lifter.

Pectoralis major injuries are relatively uncommon and can pose a diagnostic challenge. Deformity and weakness of this muscle in weight lifters is typically due to traumatic tendon rupture and often requires surgical repair. However, there are other less common etiologies that can mimic the clinical presentation of pectoralis major wasting and weakness that require different treatment approaches.

Outcome After Arthroscopic Reconstruction of the Coracoclavicular Ligaments Using a Double-Bundle Coracoid Cerclage Technique.

Purpose: We report the outcome of an arthroscopic technique for coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction using an anatomic coracoid cerclage.

Methods: Between March 2011 and September 2012, 12 consecutive patients with symptomatic chronic (>4 weeks from injury) type V acromioclavicular separation for which nonoperative treatment failed were treated with arthroscopic double-bundle reconstruction of the coracoclavicular ligaments using tendon allograft by the first author. The clinical records, operative reports, and preoperative and follow-up radiographs were reviewed.

Open reduction internal fixation of distal clavicle fracture with supplementary button coracoclavicular fixation.

Distal clavicle fractures are common, and no standard treatment exists. Many different surgical modalities exist. This report describes an open reduction internal fixation technique that achieves both plate and coracoclavicular stabilization using a button device.

Suprascapular neuropathy in a shoulder referral practice.

Hypothesis: Suprascapular neuropathy (SSN) is considered a rare condition, and few studies have analyzed how commonly it is encountered in practice. Electrophysiologic studies are the gold standard for diagnosis; however, there is no consensus on diagnostic criteria. We hypothesized that SSN would be frequently diagnosed by electrophysiologic testing in a subset of patients with specific clinical and radiographic findings suggestive of the pathology.

Suprascapular neuropathy.

Suprascapular neuropathy has often been overlooked as a source of shoulder pain. The condition may be more common than once thought as it is being diagnosed more frequently. Etiologies for suprascapular neuropathy may include repetitive overhead activities, traction from a rotator cuff tear, and compression from a space-occupying lesion at the suprascapular or spinoglenoid notch.

A prospective therapeutic comparison of simple suture repairs to massive cuff stitch repairs for treatment of small- and medium-sized rotator cuff tears.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the massive cuff stitch (MCS) with the simple stitch in terms of integrity at 2 years after surgery when used to repair small-sized to medium-sized full-thickness rotator cuff tears.

Methods: Seventy-one patients underwent arthroscopic repair of full-thickness rotator cuff tears between December 2004 and June 2006. The tear sizes ranged from 0.

Prevalence of cerebrovascular events during shoulder surgery and association with patient position.

The beach chair position is commonly used in both arthroscopic and open shoulder procedures. There has been recent concern that beach chair positioning may be an independent risk factor for intraoperative cerebrovascular insult, especially in concert with hypotensive anesthesia. We attempted to quantify the prevalence of intraoperative cerebrovascular events during shoulder surgery in the beach chair position.

Arthroscopic single-row supraspinatus tendon repair with a modified mattress locking stitch: a prospective, randomized controlled comparison with a simple stitch.

Purpose: Our purpose was to compare the clinical results and failure rates of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair by use of a modified mattress locking stitch (MMLS) repair versus a simple stitch repair.

Methods: Between December 2004 and January 2006, 78 cases of arthroscopically repaired full-thickness rotator cuff tears were evaluated prospectively. All tears were between 1.

Coracoclavicular stabilization using a suture anchor technique.

Multiple fixation options exist for coracoclavicular stabilization, but many are technically demanding and require hardware removal. In the study reported here, we reviewed a specific fixation technique that includes suture anchors moored in the base of the coracoid process. We retrospectively reviewed 24 consecutive cases of patients who underwent coracoclavicular stabilization with a suture anchor for a type III or type V acromioclavicular (AC) joint separation or a group II, type II or type V distal clavicle fracture.

Proximal biceps tendon: injuries and management.

The long head of the biceps tendon is a known pain generator of the shoulder. There are numerous pathologic entities that may affect this tendon, including tendonitis, partial tearing, and subluxation. These conditions are often associated with rotator cuff tears, especially those involving the subscapularis.