Purpose: To characterize the outcomes and range of motion at a minimum 5-year follow-up in patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) with simultaneous manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) and capsular release (CR) for concurrent RC and adhesive capsulitis and to compare active range of motion of the operative and nonoperative shoulder.
Methods: Patients undergoing ARCR with MUA and CR by a single surgeon were retrospectively reviewed and prospectively evaluated at a minimum of 5 years postoperatively. Standardized surveys, examinations, and patient-reported outcomes were recorded pre- and postoperatively.
Purpose: The purposes of this study were to investigate the difference in value (benefit to cost ratio) of dermal allograft superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) versus reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA) for the treatment of massive rotator cuff tears (MRCTs) without arthritis; to compare the patient populations selected for the operations and report pre- and postoperative functional data; and to understand other characteristics of the 2 operations, including operating time, use of institutional resources, and complications.
Methods: A retrospective, single-institution analysis during the study period 2014-2019 with MRCT treated with SCR or rTSA by 2 surgeons with complete institutional cost data and minimum 1-year clinical follow-up with American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score. Value was defined as ΔASES/(total direct costs/$10,000).
Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes of arthroscopic superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) augmentation of complete, massive rotator cuff repair (RCR).
Methods: A retrospective study of dermal allograft SCR-augmented RCRs performed by a single surgeon from June 2016 through December 2017 was performed with the following inclusion criteria: massive rotator cuff tear amenable to complete repair but with poor-quality native rotator cuff tissue. Radiographic follow-up was performed at 1 year, and clinical follow-up was performed at both 1 year and a minimum 2 years after surgery.
This article constitutes the text of the Codman Lecture, delivered by the author to the attendees of the International Congress of Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons on September 19, 2019, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArthrosc Sports Med Rehabil
June 2020
Purpose: To report on clinical outcomes of revision arthroscopic rotator cuff (RC) repair in the setting of prior deep infection.
Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of a single surgeon's experience treating patients with deep infection after RC repair. Pain by visual analog scale (VAS), American Shoulder Elbow Society (ASES), Simple Shoulder Test (SST), and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) scores, as well as active range of motion, were collected preoperatively and at final follow-up.
The transition from open shoulder surgery to arthroscopic shoulder surgery represents a classic paradigm shift. In order for that paradigm shift to have occurred, the early pioneers in this discipline had to assume several burdens of their new craft: the burden of "arthroscopic identification"; the burden of developing the language of arthroscopy; the burden of disseminating arthroscopic knowledge; the burden of developing safe arthroscopic instruments and implants; and the burden of proving biomechanical and structural equivalency between arthroscopic and open constructs. Embracing these obligations, they were able to produce the paradigm shift to arthroscopic shoulder surgery through a spirited mix of depth, breadth, and tenacity, defying long odds and conventional wisdom while creating a major breakthrough in shoulder surgery.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To evaluate the results of arthroscopic superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) after 2-year minimum follow-up and to compare the results with those seen in a previously studied group of patients at 1 year postoperatively.
Methods: The retrospective study period was October 2014 through September 2016. Inclusion criteria were arthroscopic dermal allograft SCR performed for operatively irreparable posterosuperior rotator cuff tear with intact or repairable subscapularis tendon, failure of nonoperative treatment, and clinical follow-up at 1 and minimum 2 years postoperatively.
Humeral avulsion of the glenohumeral ligament (HAGL) can be a difficult problem to treat. HAGL lesions can be particularly challenging to repair when approached arthroscopically. Because of the technical difficulties of HAGL repair, the surgeon must be strategic to successfully address these lesions arthroscopically.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcellular human dermal allograft commonly is used in the surgical treatment of complex rotator cuff tears, but little information is known about the biological fate of these grafts in human subjects. In this case report, the authors describe a patient who presented with a radiographically healed acellular human dermal allograft superior capsular reconstruction but had humeral head avascular necrosis. The healed superior capsular reconstruction, including graft-bone interfaces, was explanted after 7 months and sent for histologic analysis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To determine if an increased critical shoulder angle (CSA) predisposes patients to higher re-tear rates and worse clinical outcomes after rotator cuff (RC) repair.
Methods: A comprehensive search of the PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE databases was performed in October 2018 for English-language studies pertaining to RC repair and an increased CSA in accordance with Preferred Reported Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. Studies of all levels of evidence were included provided that any outcomes, including pain, patient-reported outcomes, and re-tear rates, were reported.
The primary aim of rotator cuff repair surgery is to restore the musculotendinous units by creating a complete, tension-free repair construct that optimizes conditions for tendon-to-bone healing. There are many factors outside the control of the surgeon that are capable of affecting the healing process; however, there are also a number of important technical considerations that the surgeon can control, including familiarity with methods to deal with immobile tissues and techniques to perform novel repair constructs. It is clear that linked double row repairs are more likely to heal, and healed rotator cuff repairs best restore shoulder strength, improve patients' satisfaction, and maximize functional outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the amount of agreement between preoperative 3-dimensional computed tomographic (3D-CT) and intraoperative arthroscopic classification of Hill-Sachs lesions (HSLs) according to the glenoid track (GT) paradigm.
Methods: Records for patients treated surgically for anterior shoulder instability from a single surgeon's practice from August 2013 until March 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Inclusion criteria were presence of an HSL, < 25% glenoid bone loss, bilateral 3D-CT, and arthroscopically recorded bone loss measurements.
A healed rotator cuff repair results in a superior outcome for the patient compared with a non-healed repair. The surgeon can maximize the chance of a healed repair by knowing the end-point of each key step in the repair process and adhering to a few core principles. First, the rotator cuff tear pattern (e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSports Med Arthrosc Rev
December 2018
The surgical management of rotator cuff (RC) tears has progressed considerably in recent decades. Arthroscopic procedures now represent the mainstay of contemporary treatment approaches. The success of repair is predicated upon the achievement of a secure, durable repair that promotes tendon-to-bone healing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the rate and magnitude of return of active forward elevation (aFE) of the arm for patients with severe preoperative elevation dysfunction (less than 45° of aFE and termed profound pseudoparalysis) and massive, irreparable (or partially reparable) rotator cuff tears without arthritis treated with arthroscopic superior capsular reconstruction (SCR).
Methods: The period for this retrospective study was October 2014 to October 2016. Inclusion criteria included patients treated arthroscopically for an incompletely reparable massive rotator cuff tear (2 tendons fully torn or tear dimension > 5 cm), preoperative aFE of less than 45° (profound pseudoparalysis) with full passive elevation, an intact or reparable subscapularis tendon, radiographic classification Hamada 0-3, and 12-month clinical follow-up.
Purpose: To evaluate the biomechanical fixation strength and gap formation of 2 different remplissage fixation methods (double pulley knotted construct and interconnected knotless repair construct) in cadaver specimens.
Methods: Seven matched pairs of human cadaveric shoulders were used for testing (mean age, 56 ± 10 years). A shoulder from each matched pair was randomly selected to receive a Hill-Sachs remplissage using either a knotted (No.
Active patients with massive irreparable rotator cuff tears and no glenohumeral arthritis have long posed a dilemma for shoulder surgeons. Such high-demand patients do not do well with partial cuff repair, as their results tend to deteriorate over time. They are also not good candidates for reverse total shoulder arthroplasty due to high rates of complications and high revision rates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn patients who have a massive rotator cuff tear without glenohumeral arthritis in whom surgery is indicated, surgeons should always attempt a complete repair. Interval slides and linked high-strength repair constructs can be used; however, despite advanced mobilization and repair techniques, some rotator cuff tears are not fully repairable. Promising early outcomes have been reported in select patients with a massive rotator cuff tear who undergo superior capsule reconstruction with the use of acellular dermal allograft.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To determine if preoperative imaging findings of massive rotator cuff (RC) tears were associated with (1) incomplete arthroscopic repair and (2) the use of advanced mobilization techniques (interval slides) and/or the use of a load-sharing rip stop repair construct.
Methods: Eighty-six consecutive patients who underwent arthroscopic repair for massive RC tears performed by a single surgeon between July 2013 and July 2015 were retrospectively evaluated. Previously proposed radiographic risk factors for irreparability (acromiohumeral distances, tangent sign, and the Goutallier stage of fatty infiltration for the supraspinatus) were analyzed.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short-term outcomes of arthroscopic superior capsule reconstruction (SCR) with dermal allograft for the treatment of irreparable massive rotator cuff tears (MRCTs).
Methods: A multicenter study was performed on patients undergoing arthroscopic SCR for irreparable MRCTs. The minimum follow-up was 1 year.
Superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) of the shoulder has recently gained popularity as an option for joint-preserving shoulder surgery for patients with an irreparable rotator cuff tear. In the absence of glenohumeral arthritis, rotator cuff tear irreparability should only be diagnosed for most patients after a careful diagnostic arthroscopy. Superior capsular reconstruction adds biological, passive, superior constraint to the glenohumeral joint, thereby optimizing the rotator cuff force couples and improving joint kinematics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRecurrent anterior dislocations in adolescents reveal a high rate of off-track Hill-Sachs lesions, much higher than in adults. This new information makes a strong case in favor of arthroscopic Bankart repair for adolescents with a first-time anterior dislocation of the shoulder.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOur understanding of patients' desired outcomes and expectations of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) is limited, particularly regarding the importance of pain relief and strength return relative to each other. We conducted a study of patient's ratings of the importance of pain relief and strength return after ARCR. Before undergoing surgery, 60 patients completed a shoulder questionnaire on which they assessed severity of symptoms and rated, on a 10-point scale, the importance of postoperative improvements in pain relief and strength return.
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