Is timing of superior labrum anterior to posterior (SLAP) repair important? A cohort study evaluating the effect of the duration of symptoms prior to surgery on the outcomes of patients who underwent type II SLAP repair.

Background: The management of superior labrum anterior to posterior (SLAP) tears is somewhat controversial. It is unclear if the length of time between symptom onset and surgery affects SLAP repair outcomes.

Methods: Sixty-one SLAP repairs were retrospectively reviewed pre-operatively and post-operatively at 1, 6, 24 weeks, and > 2 years post-surgery.

Augmentation of rotator cuff repair with gelatin-resorcin-formalin glue: a biomechanical study.

Introduction: Rotator cuff tendons are typically reattached to the proximal humerus using transosseous sutures or suture anchors. Their primary mode of failure is at the tendon-bone interface.

Methods: We investigated the addition of an adhesive, gelatin-resorcin-formalin (GRF) glue, to a single-row rotator cuff repair (RCR) on ex vivo sheep models.

A review of bone grafting techniques for glenoid reconstruction.

Background: Traumatic anterior shoulder dislocations can cause bony defects of the anterior glenoid rim and are often associated with recurrent shoulder instability. For large glenoid defects of 20-30% without a mobile bony fragment, glenoid reconstruction with bone grafts is often recommended. This review describes two broad categories of glenoid reconstruction procedures found in literature: coracoid transfers involving the Bristow and Latarjet procedures, and free bone grafting techniques.

Biomechanical evaluation of an independent acromioclavicular ligament repair for acromioclavicular joint reconstruction.

Background: A number of surgical techniques for the treatment of acromioclavicular joint separations have been described; however, few have been able to create a strong intra-operative construct that provides minimal joint translation. A biomechanical study was conducted to examine joint translation in an independent acromioclavicular ligament repair.

Methods: Three variations of a novel independent acromioclavicular ligament repair technique underwent testing using a Sawbones model.

Reliability of shear wave elastography ultrasound to assess the supraspinatus tendon: An intra and inter-rater in vivo study.

Introduction: Shear wave elastography ultrasound is a relatively new technique that evaluates the tissue elasticity by applying an acoustic radiation force impulse. It is undetermined how reliable this modality is in assessing rotator cuff tendons. The aim of this study, therefore, was to evaluate the reliability of shear wave elastography ultrasound to assess the stiffness of normal and tendinopathic supraspinatus tendons.

Not all ultrasounds are created equal: general sonography versus musculoskeletal sonography in the detection of rotator cuff tears.

Background: This cross-sectional analytic diagnostic accuracy study was designed to compare the accuracy of ultrasound performed by general sonographers in local radiology practices with ultrasound performed by an experienced musculoskeletal sonographer for the detection of rotator cuff tears.

Methods: In total, 238 patients undergoing arthroscopy who had previously had an ultrasound performed by both a general sonographer and a specialist musculoskeletal sonographer made up the study cohort. Accuracy of diagnosis was compared with the findings at arthroscopy.

Biomechanical comparison of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) and PTFE interpositional patches and direct tendon-to-bone repair for massive rotator cuff tears in an ovine model.

Background: Massive irreparable rotator cuff tears are a difficult problem. Modalities such as irrigation and debridement, partial repair, tendon transfer and grafts have been utilized with high failure rates and mixed results. Synthetic interpositional patch repairs are a novel and increasingly used approach.

Ultrasound determination of rotator cuff tear repairability.

Background: Rotator cuff repair aims to reattach the torn tendon to the greater tuberosity footprint with suture anchors. The present study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound in predicting rotator cuff tear repairability and to assess which sonographic and pre-operative features are strongest in predicting repairability.

Methods: The study was a retrospective analysis of measurements made prospectively in a cohort of 373 patients who had ultrasounds of their shoulder and underwent rotator cuff repair.

The temporal outcomes of open versus arthroscopic knotted and knotless rotator cuff repair over 5 years.

Background: The present study aimed to determine how repair technique influenced structural and clinical outcomes at 5 years post-surgery.

Methods: Three cohorts of patients had repair of a symptomatic rotator cuff tear using (i) an open double-row mattress repair technique (n = 25); (ii) arthroscopic single-row simple suture knotted technique (n = 25); or (iii) arthroscopic single-row inverted mattress knotless technique (n = 36) by one surgeon. Standardized patient- and examiner-determined outcomes were obtained pre-operatively and postoperatively with a validated protocol, ultrasound were also performed at the same time.