Aims

Favourable short-term outcomes have been reported following latissimus dorsi tendon transfer for patients with an irreparable subscapularis (SSC) tendon tear. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term outcomes of this transfer in these patients.

Aims

Metal and ceramic humeral head bearing surfaces are available choices in anatomical shoulder arthroplasties. Wear studies have shown superior performance of ceramic heads, however comparison of clinical outcomes according to bearing surface in total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) and hemiarthroplasty (HA) is limited. This study aimed to compare the rates of revision and reoperation following metal and ceramic humeral head TSA and HA using data from the National Joint Registry (NJR), which collects data from England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and the States of Guernsey.

Aims

To systematically review the predominant complication rates and changes to patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) following osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation for shoulder instability.

Aims. The aim of this study was to analyse human muscle tissue before and after rotator cuff repair to look for evidence of regeneration, and to characterise the changes seen in the type of muscle fibre. Patients and Methods. Patients were assessed pre-operatively and one year post-operatively using the Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS) and MRI. The cross-sectional area and distribution of the type of muscle fibre were assessed on biopsies, which were taken at surgery and one year post-operatively. Paired samples from eight patients were analysed. There were three men and five women with a mean age of 63 years (50 to 73). Results. All but one patient showed improvement in OSS (p = 0.004). The mean increase in the cross-sectional area of the muscle was 1220 μm. 2. (-801 to 3712; p = 0.03). There was a reduction of type 2a fibres (p = 0.02). A clear relationship could not be seen between the MRI findings and the histological appearances. Conclusion. This is the first study to provide evidence that atrophy of the supraspinatus muscle is reversible. Changes in the types of fibre are discussed. MRI assessment of muscle atrophy may not be fully representative of myofibre atrophy. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:1389–94

Aims

A recent study used the RAND Corporation at University of California, Los Angeles (RAND/UCLA) method to develop anatomical total shoulder arthroplasty (aTSA) appropriateness criteria. The purpose of our study was to determine how patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) vary based on appropriateness.

The August 2024 Shoulder & Elbow Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: Comparing augmented and nonaugmented locking-plate fixation for proximal humeral fractures in the elderly; Elevated five-year mortality following shoulder arthroplasty for fracture; Total intravenous anaesthesia with propofol reduces discharge times compared with inhaled general anaesthesia in shoulder arthroscopy: a randomized controlled trial; The influence of obesity on outcomes following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair; Humeral component version has no effect on outcomes following reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: a prospective, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial; What is a meaningful improvement after total shoulder arthroplasty by implant type, preoperative diagnosis, and sex?; The safety of corticosteroid injection prior to shoulder arthroplasty: a systematic review; Mortality and subsequent fractures of patients with olecranon fractures compared to other upper limb osteoporotic fractures.

Aim. We present the medium-term clinical results of a reverse total shoulder arthroplasty with a trabecular metal glenoid base plate. Patients and Methods. We reviewed 125 consecutive primary reverse total shoulder arthroplasties (RTSA) implanted in 124 patients for rotator cuff arthropathy. There were 100 women and 24 men in the study group with a mean age of 76 years (58 to 89). The mean follow-up was 32 months (24 to 60). No patient was lost to follow-up. Results. There were statistically significant improvements in the mean range of movement and Oxford Shoulder Score (p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier survivorship at five years was 96.7% (95% confidence interval 91.5 to 98.7) with aseptic glenoid failure as the end point. . Radiologically, 63 shoulders (50.4%) showed no evidence of notching, 51 (40.8%) had grade 1 notching, ten (8.0%) had grade 2 notching and one (0.8%) had grade 4 notching. Radiolucency around the glenoid base plate was found in one patient (0.8%) and around the humeral stem in five (4.0%). In all, three RTSA (2.4%) underwent revision surgery for aseptic mechanical failure of the glenoid within 11 months of surgery due to malseating of the glenosphere. Conclusion. The clinical results of this large independent single unit series are comparable to those from previous series of RTSA reported in the literature. A trabecular metal base plate is safe and effective in the medium-term. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:969–75

We carried out a prospective, randomised controlled trial on two groups of 40 patients with painful calcific tendonitis and a mean age of 48.4 years (32.5 to 67.3). All were to undergo arthroscopic removal of the calcific deposit within six months after randomisation. The 40 patients in group I received ultrasound-guided needling followed by high-energy shock-wave therapy and the 40 in group II had shock-wave therapy alone. In both groups one treatment consisting of 2500 impulses of shock waves with an energy flux density of 0.36 mJ/mm. 2. was applied. The clinical and radiological outcome was assessed using the 100-point Constant shoulder scoring system and standardised radiographs. The mean follow-up was 4.1 months and no patient was lost to follow-up. Both groups had significant improvement in their Constant shoulder score. Radiographs showed disappearance of the calcific deposit in 60.0% of the shoulders in group I and in 32.5% of group II (p < 0.05). Significantly better clinical and radiological results were obtained in group I than in group II. Arthroscopic removal of the deposit was avoided in 32 patients of group I and in 22 of group II. No severe side-effects were recorded. Ultrasound-guided needling in combination with high-energy shock-wave therapy is more effective than shock-wave therapy alone in patients with symptomatic calcific tendonitis, giving significantly higher rates of elimination of the calcium deposits, better clinical results and reduction in the need for surgery

Aims

The aim of this study was to longitudinally compare the clinical and radiological outcomes of anatomical total shoulder arthroplasty (aTSA) up to long-term follow-up, when using cemented keel, cemented peg, and hybrid cage peg glenoid components and the same humeral system.

Aims

There remains a lack of consensus regarding the management of chronic anterior sternoclavicular joint (SCJ) instability. This study aimed to assess whether a standardized treatment algorithm (incorporating physiotherapy and surgery and based on the presence of trauma) could successfully guide management and reduce the number needing surgery.

Aims

The aim of this study was to investigate the outcome of periprosthetic fractures of the humerus and to assess the uniformity of the classifications used for these fractures (including those around elbow and/or shoulder arthroplasties) by performing a systematic review of the literature.

Controversy surrounds the management of displaced three- and four-part fractures of the proximal humerus. The percutaneous Resch technique of stabilisation involves minimal soft-tissue dissection and a reduced risk of stiffness and avascular necrosis. However, it requires a second operation to remove Kirschner wires and the humeral block. We describe a modification of this technique that dispenses with the need for this second operation and relies on a sequential pattern of screw placement. We report the outcome of 32 three- or four-part fractures of the proximal humerus treated in this way at a mean follow-up of 3.8 years (2 to 8)). There were 14 men and 18 women with a mean age of 56 years (28 to 83). At final follow-up the mean Oxford shoulder scores were 38 (31 to 44) and 39 (31 to 42), and the mean Constant scores were 79 (65 to 92) and 72 (70 to 80) for three- and four-part fractures, respectively. We further analysed the results in patients aged < 60 years with high-energy fractures and those aged ≥ 60 years with osteoporotic fractures. There were no cases of nonunion or avascular necrosis. The results were good and comparable to those previously reported for the Resch technique and other means of fixation for proximal humeral fractures. We would recommend this modification of the technique for the treatment of displaced three-part and four-part fractures in patients both younger and older than 60 years of age

Aims. We performed a systematic review of the literature to determine whether earlier surgical repair of acute rotator cuff tear (ARCT) leads to superior post-operative clinical outcomes. Methods. The MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Libraries, controlled-trials.com and clinicaltrials.gov databases were searched using the terms: ‘rotator cuff’, or ‘supraspinatus’, or ‘infraspinatus’, or ‘teres minor’, or ‘subscapularis’ AND ‘surgery’ or ‘repair’. This gave a total of 15 833 articles. After deletion of duplicates and the review of abstracts and full texts by two independent assessors, 15 studies reporting time to surgery for ARCT repair were included. Studies were grouped based on time to surgery < 3 months (group A, seven studies), or > 3 months (group B, eight studies). Weighted means were calculated and compared using Student’s t-test. . Results. Group B had a significantly higher pre-operative Constant score (CS) (p < 0.001), range of movement in external rotation (p = 0.003) and abduction (p < 0.001) compared with group A. Both groups showed clinical improvement with surgical repair; group A had a significantly improved Constant score, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder score, abduction and elevation post-operatively (all p < 0.001). Group B had significantly improved Constant score (p < 0.001) and external rotation (p < 0.001) post-operatively. The mean Constant score improved by 33.5 for group A and by 27.5 for group B. Conclusion. These findings should be interpreted with caution due to limitations and bias inherent to case-series. We suggest a trend that earlier time to surgery may be linked to better Constant score, and active range of movement in abduction and elevation. Additional prospective studies are required

We retrospectively reviewed 26 patients who underwent reconstruction of the shoulder for a medial rotation contracture after birth injury of the brachial plexus. Of these, 13 patients with a mean age of 5.8 years (2.8 to 12.9) received an injection of botulinum toxin type A into the pectoralis major as a surgical adjunct. They were matched with 13 patients with a mean age of 4.0 years (1.9 to 7.2) who underwent an identical operation before the introduction of botulinum toxin therapy to our unit. Pre-operatively, there was no significant difference (p = 0.093) in the modified Gilbert shoulder scores for the two groups. Post-operatively, the patients who received the botulinum toxin had significantly better Gilbert shoulder scores (p = 0.012) at a mean follow-up of three years (1.5 to 9.8). It appears that botulinum toxin type A produces benefits which are sustained beyond the period for which the toxin is recognised to be active. We suggest that by temporarily weakening some of the power of medial rotation, afferent signals to the brain are reduced and cortical recruitment for the injured nerves is improved

We carried out a prospective study of 93 patients undergoing surgery for conditions of the rotator cuff during 1994 and 1995. They were assessed before operation and after six months, and four years, using the patient-based Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), the SF-36 questionnaire and the Constant shoulder score. The response rates were higher for the OSS and SF-36. The correlation coefficients were high (r > 0.5) between all scores at each stage of the study. While all scores improved substantially at six months, the Constant score was reduced significantly at four years. This did not correlate with the patients’ judgement of the change in symptoms or of the success of the operation. Our study suggests that patient-based measures of pain and function can reliably assess outcomes in the medium term after surgery to the shoulder

We report a prospective study of 49 patients who had arthroscopic subacromial decompression for chronic rotator-cuff impingement. All patients were assessed preoperatively and at 3, 6 and 12 months using the modified UCLA shoulder score. The dominant arm was affected in 35 patients, but only 13 recognised overuse as a cause of their shoulder pain. Before operation, the UCLA shoulder score was poor or fair in all patients. After three months only 28% of patients had satisfactory relief of symptoms but at one year 85% of patients examined had a good or excellent result. Patients with calcific tendonitis recovered more quickly: 93% reported a good result at six months. We conclude that arthroscopic subacromial decompression is an effective form of treatment, but that patients should be warned that recovery from surgery may be prolonged