Study on injectable chitosan hydrogel with tendon-derived stem cells for enhancing rotator cuff tendon-to-bone healing / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effect of chitosan (CS) hydrogel loaded with tendon-derived stem cells (TDSCs; hereinafter referred to as TDSCs/CS hydrogel) on tendon-to-bone healing after rotator cuff repair in rabbits.@*METHODS@#TDSCs were isolated from the rotator cuff tissue of 3 adult New Zealand white rabbits by Henderson step-by-step enzymatic digestion method and identified by multidirectional differentiation and flow cytometry. The 3rd generation TDSCs were encapsulated in CS to construct TDSCs/CS hydrogel. The cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) assay was used to detect the proliferation of TDSCs in the hydrogel after 1-5 days of culture in vitro, and cell compatibility of TDSCs/CS hydrogel was evaluated by using TDSCs alone as control. Another 36 adult New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups ( n=12): rotator cuff repair group (control group), rotator cuff repair+CS hydrogel injection group (CS group), and rotator cuff repair+TDSCs/CS hydrogel injection group (TDSCs/CS group). After establishing the rotator cuff repair models, the corresponding hydrogel was injected into the tendon-to-bone interface in the CS group and TDSCs/CS group, and no other treatment was performed in the control group. The general condition of the animals was observed after operation. At 4 and 8 weeks, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to detect the relative expressions of tendon forming related genes (tenomodulin, scleraxis), chondrogenesis related genes (aggrecan, sex determining region Y-related high mobility group-box gene 9), and osteogenesis related genes (alkaline phosphatase, Runt-related transcription factor 2) at the tendon-to-bone interface. At 8 weeks, HE and Masson staining were used to observe the histological changes, and the biomechanical test was used to evaluate the ultimate load and the failure site of the repaired rotator cuff to evaluate the tendon-to-bone healing and biomechanical properties.@*RESULTS@#CCK-8 assay showed that the CS hydrogel could promote the proliferation of TDSCs ( P<0.05). qPCR results showed that the expressions of tendon-to-bone interface related genes were significantly higher in the TDSCs/CS group than in the CS group and control group at 4 and 8 weeks after operation ( P<0.05). Moreover, the expressions of tendon-to-bone interface related genes at 8 weeks after operation were significantly higher than those at 4 weeks after operation in the TDSCs/CS group ( P<0.05). Histological staining showed the clear cartilage tissue and dense and orderly collagen formation at the tendon-to-bone interface in the TDSCs/CS group. The results of semi-quantitative analysis showed that compared with the control group, the number of cells, the proportion of collagen fiber orientation, and the histological score in the TDSCs/CS group increased, the vascularity decreased, showing significant differences ( P<0.05); compared with the CS group, the proportion of collagen fiber orientation and the histological score in the TDSCs/CS group significantly increased ( P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in the number of cells and vascularity ( P>0.05). All samples in biomechanical testing failed at the repair site during the testing process. The ultimate load of the TDSCs/CS group was significantly higher than that of the control group ( P<0.05), but there was no significant difference compared to the CS group ( P>0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#TDSCs/CS hydrogel can induce cartilage regeneration to promote rotator cuff tendon-to-bone healing.

Short-term effectiveness of arthroscopic repair via modified subacromial viewing portal in treatment of Lafosse Ⅰ subscapularis tendon tears / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate short-term effectiveness of arthroscopic repair via modified subacromial viewing portal (hereinafter referred to as modified viewing portal) in treatment of LafosseⅠsubscapularis tendon tears.@*METHODS@#A clinical data of 52 patients with LafosseⅠsubscapularis tendon tears, who underwent the arthroscopic repair via modified viewing portal between October 2020 and November 2022 and met the selective criteria, was retrospectively analyzed. There were 15 males and 37 females with an average age of 63.4 years (range, 41-76 years). Twelve patients had trauma history and the other 40 patients had no obvious inducement. The main clinical symptom was shoulder pain and the hug resistance tests were positive in all patients. The interval between symptom onset and admission ranged from 3 to 26 months (mean, 7.2 months). The shoulder pain and function were evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS) score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) score before operation and at 12 months after operation. The shoulder range of motion (ROM) of forward flexion, abduction, and external rotation and the internal rotation strength were measured before operation and at 3 and 12 months after operation. MRI was performed at 3-6 months after operation to assess the tendon healing and the structural integrity and tension of reattached tendon. Patient's satisfactions were calculated at last follow-up.@*RESULTS@#All incisions healed by first intention, no complication such as incision infection or nerve injury occurred. All patients were followed up 12-37 months (mean, 18.5 months). The VAS, UCLA, and ASES scores at 12 months after operation significantly improved when compared with those before operation ( P<0.05). The ROMs of abduction and forward flexion and the internal rotation strength at 3 and 12 months significantly improved when compared with those before operation ( P<0.05); and the ROMs at 12 months significantly improved compared to that at 3 months ( P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference ( P>0.05) in the ROM of external rotation at 3 months compared to that before operation; but the ROM at 12 months significantly improved compared to that before operation and at 3 months after operation ( P<0.05). Thirty-one patients underwent MRI at 3-6 months, of which 28 patients possessed intact structural integrity, good tendon tension and tendon healing; 3 patients underwent tendon re-tear. At last follow-up, 41 patients (78.8%) were very satisfied with the effectiveness, 7 were satisfied (13.5%), and 4 were dissatisfied (7.7%).@*CONCLUSION@#Arthroscopic repair via modified viewing portal for Lafosse Ⅰsubscapularis tendon tears, which can achieve the satisfactory visualization and working space, can obtain good short-term effectiveness with low overall re-tear risk.

Dissectional Orientation: Morphological Variations of Teres Minor Muscle and its Nerve Supply

SUMMARY: The teres minor is one of the rotator cuff muscles that comprise the superior margin of the quadrangular space. Quadrangular space syndrome (QSS) refers to the entrapment or compression of the axillary nerve and the posterior humeral circumflex artery in the quadrangular space, often caused by injuries, dislocation of the shoulder joint, etc. Patients who fail the primary conservative treatments and have persistent symptoms and no pain relief for at least six months would be considered for surgical interventions for QSS. This cadaveric study of 17 cadavers (males: 9 and females: 8) was conducted in the Gross Anatomy Laboratory at the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University. The cadavers were preserved in a 10 % formaldehyde solution and obtained ethical approval by the ethical commission of the Siriraj Institutional Review Board. The morphology of the teres minor muscle-tendon junction, the bifurcation type of the axillary nerve, and the length and number of the terminal branches of the nerve to the teres minor were documented. Specimens with quadrangular space contents and surrounding muscles that had been destroyed were excluded from the study. The results showed that 47.06 % of the specimens had type A bifurcation, 47.06 % had type B bifurcation, and the remaining 5.88 % had type C bifurcation. It was observed that 58.82 % had nonclassic muscle-tendon morphology, while 41.18 % were classic. The average length of the terminal branches of the nerve to the teres minor in males was 1.13 cm, with the majority having two branches. For females, many showed one terminal branch with an average length of 0.97 cm. Understanding the differences in anatomical variations can allow for a personalized treatment plan prior to quadrangular space syndrome surgical procedures and improve the recovery of postsurgical interventions for patients.

El músculo redondo menor es uno de los músculos del manguito rotador que comprende el margen superior del espacio cuadrangular. El síndrome del espacio cuadrangular (QSS) se refiere al atrapamiento o compresión del nervio axilar y la arteria circunfleja humeral posterior en el espacio cuadrangular, a menudo causado por lesiones, dislocación de la articulación humeral, entre otros. En los pacientes en los que fracasan los tratamientos conservadores primarios y presentan síntomas persistentes y ningún alivio del dolor durante al menos seis meses se considerarían para intervenciones quirúrgicas para QSS. Este estudio cadavérico de 17 cadáveres (hombres: 9 y mujeres: 8) se llevó a cabo en el Laboratorio de Anatomía Macroscópica del Departamento de Anatomía de la Facultad de Medicina del Hospital Siriraj de la Universidad Mahidol. Los cadáveres se conservaron en una solución de formaldehído al 10 % y obtuvieron la aprobación ética de la comisión ética de la Junta de Revisión Institucional de Siriraj. Se documentó la morfología de la unión músculo-tendón del músculo redondo menor, el tipo de bifurcación del nervio axilar y la longitud y el número de las ramas terminales del nervio para el músculo redondo menor. Se excluyeron del estudio los especímenes con contenido de espacios cuadrangulares y músculos circundantes que habían sido destruidos. Los resultados mostraron que el 47,06 % de los especímenes presentó bifurcación tipo A, el 47,06 % una bifurcación tipo B y el 5,88 % restante una bifurcación tipo C. Se observó que el 58,82 % presentaba una morfología músculo-tendinosa no clásica, mientras que el 41,18 % era clásica. La longitud pmedia de los ramos terminales del nervio hasta el músculo redondo menor en los hombres era de 1,13 cm, y la mayoría tenía dos ramos. En el caso de las mujeres, mostraron un ramo terminal con una longitud promedio de 0,97 cm. Comprender las diferencias en las variaciones anatómicas puede permitir un plan de tratamiento personalizado antes de los procedimientos quirúrgicos del síndrome del espacio cuadrangular y mejorar la recupe- ración de las intervenciones posquirúrgicas de los pacientes.

Condutas cinesioterapêuticas no tratamento das tendinopatias do manguito rotador em atletas de voleibol de quadra / Kinesiotherapeutic conducts in the treatment of rotator cuff tendinopathies in indoor volleyball athletes

Introdução: o ombro do jogador de voleibol é suscetível a lesões resultantes de sobrecargas biomecânicas e movimentos repetitivos. As frequentes queixas de dor nessa articulação evidenciam o elevado volume de ações motoras unilaterais em alta velocidade acima da cabeça, atingindo o manguito rotador (MR) e gerando limitação funcional na prática desportiva. As tendinopatias do MR, formado pelos músculos subescapular, redondo menor, infraespinhal e supraespinhal, atingem comumente os tendões do supraespinhal e do infraespinhal. Objetivo: descrever as condutas cinesioterapêuticas utilizadas no tratamento das tendinopatias do MR em atletas de voleibol de quadra. Metodologia: pesquisaram-se as bases de dados MEDLINE, SciELO e BVS. Descritores: lesões do ombro, manguito rotador, atletas, voleibol e Terapia por Exercício (pesquisados em inglês), associados dois a dois ou três a três, dentre os quais o termo atletas ou voleibol sempre foi mantido. Foram incluídos artigos de revisão, artigos originais, ensaios clínicos e estudos de coorte publicados em português e inglês, entre os anos de 2009 e 2019. Resultados: inicialmente a busca resultou em 480 artigos. Após o processo de seleção, seis estudos foram revisados na íntegra e incluídos na síntese qualitativa. Conclusão: as principais condutas cinesioterapêuticas descritas foram: fortalecimento dos rotadores externos, dos músculos do tronco, da coluna e periescapulares, alongamento da região posterior do ombro e mobilizações articulares.

Introduction: the volleyball player's shoulder is susceptible to injuries resulting from biomechanical overloads and repetitive movements. The frequent complaints of pain in this joint highlight the high volume of unilateral motor actions at high speed above the head, reaching the rotator cuff (RC) and generating functional limitation in sports. RC tendinopathies, formed by the subscapularis, teres minor, infraspinatus and supraspinatus muscles, commonly affect the supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons. Objective: to describe the kinesiotherapeutic conducts used in the treatment of RC tendinopathies in indoor volleyball athletes. Methodology: MEDLINE, SciELO and VHL databases were searched. Descriptors: shoulder injuries, rotator cuff, athletes, volleyball and Exercise Therapy (searched in English), associated two by two or three by three, among which the term athletes or volleyball was always maintained. Review articles, original articles, clinical trials and cohort studies published in Portuguese and English between 2009 and 2019 were included. Results: initially the search resulted in 480 articles. After the selection process, six studies were fully reviewed and included in the qualitative synthesis. Conclusion: the main kinesiotherapeutic procedures described were strengthening of the external rotators, trunk, spine and periscapular muscles, stretching of the posterior region of the shoulder and joint mobilizations.

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Timing of Rotator Cuff Repair and Method of Postoperative Follow-up / Impacto da COVID-19 no momento de reparo do manguito rotador e método de acompanhamento pós-operatório

Abstract Objective Rotator cuff repair (RCR) is one of the most common arthroscopic procedures. Our investigation aims to quantify the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on RCR, specifically on patients with acute, traumatic injuries. Methods Institutional records were queried to identify patients who underwent arthroscopic RCR between March 1st to October 31st of both 2019 and 2020. Patient demographic, preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative data were collected from electronic medical records. Inferential statistics were used to analyze data. Results Totals of 72 and of 60 patients were identified in 2019 and in 2020, respectively. Patients in 2019 experienced shorter lengths of time from MRI to surgery (62.7 ± 70.5 days versus 115.7 ± 151.0 days; p = 0.01). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans showed a smaller average degree of retraction in 2019 (2.1 ± 1.3 cm versus 2.6 ± 1.2 cm; p = 0.05) butnodifference in anterior toposterior tear size between years (1.6 ± 1.0 cm versus 1.8 ± 1.0 cm; p = 0.17). Less patients in 2019 had a tele-health postoperative consultation with their operating surgeon compared with 2020 (0.0% versus 10.0%; p = 0.009). No significant changes in complications (0.0% versus 0.0%; p > 0.999), readmission (0.0% versus 0.0%; p > 0.999), or revision rates (5.6% versus 0.0%; p = 0.13) were observed. Conclusion From 2019 to 2020, there were no significant differences in patient demographics or major comorbidities. Our data suggests that even though the time from MRI to surgery was delayed in 2020 and telemedicine appointments were necessary, RCR was still performed in a time in early complications. Level of Evidence III.

Resumo Objetivo Oreparodomanguitorotador (RMR) é um dos procedimentos artroscópi-cos maiscomuns. Nossapesquisavisaquantificar o impacto da pandemia de COVID-19 sobre o RMR, especificamente em pacientes com lesões agudas e traumáticas. Métodos Os prontuários institucionais foram consultados para identificação de pacientes submetidos ao RMR artroscópico entre 1° de março e 31 de outubro de 2019 e de 2020. Dados demográficos, pré-operatórios, perioperatórios e pós-operatórios dos pacientes foram coletados de prontuários eletrônicos. Os dados foram analisados por estatística inferencial. Resultados Totais de 72 ede60pacientes foramidentificados em 2019 e 2020, respectivamente. Os pacientes de 2019 apresentaram menor intervalo entre a ressonância magnética (RM) e a cirurgia (62,7 ± 70,5 dias versus 115,7 ± 151,0 dias; p = 0,01). Os exames de RM mostraram menor grau médio de retração em 2019 (2,1 ± 1,3 cm versus 2,6 ± 1,2 cm; p = 0,05), mas nenhuma diferença foi observada na extensão anteroposterior da laceração entre os anos (1,6 ± 1,0 cm versus 1,8 ± 1,0 cm; p = 0,17).Em 2019,o número de pacientes atendidos por seus cirurgiões em consultas pós-operatórias por telemedicina foi menor em comparação com 2020 (0,0% versus 10,0%; p = 0,009). Não foram observadas alterações significativas nas taxas de complicação (0,0% versus 0,0%; p > 0,999), de readmissão (0,0% versus 0,0%; p > 0,999) ou de revisão (5,6% versus 0,0%; p = 0,13). Conclusão Não houve diferenças significativas nos dados demográficos dos pacientes ou nas principais comorbidades entre 2019 e 2020. Nossos dados sugerem que, embora o intervalo entre a RM e a cirurgia tenha sido maior em 2020 e tenha havido necessidade de consultas por telemedicina, o RMR ainda foi realizado em tempo hábil e sem alterações significativas nas complicações precoces. Nível de Evidência III.

Transient median nerve palsy following ultrasound-guided subscapularis plane block: a case report

Abstract The subscapularis plane block is an effective approach to anesthetize axillary and upper subscapular nerves. There have been no reports regarding brachial plexus paralysis as a potential complication to date. Described here is a case of median nerve palsy following ultrasound-guided subscapularis plane block for awake frozen shoulder manipulation that was performed on a 52-year-old female diagnosed with adhesive capsulitis. The patient could not flex digits two and three, and ipsilateral inner palm numbness occurred shortly after the block commenced, with complete resolution in the next two hours. The local anesthetics spillage towards brachial plexus with possible partial paralysis should always be expected after subscapularis plane block.

Reparación sistemática del manguito rotador: Clasificación de la Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá / Standardized rotator cuff repair. Classification of Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá

La cirugía de manguito rotador se ha popularizado en los últimos años y pasó de realizarse mediante una técnica abierta, en la mayoría de los casos, a la reparación artroscópica. Se han descrito múltiples técnicas para la fijación del hueso, pero no se han estandarizado el orden y los pasos para llevar a cabo esta reparación, lo que generó inconsistencias y heterogeneidad en los resultados de la reparación. En este artículo, se propone una nueva clasificación de las lesiones del manguito rotador que les permitirá a los cirujanos tomar decisiones durante la cirugía de reparación artroscópica del manguito rotador. Nivel de Evidencia: IV

Rotator cuff surgery has become more popular in recent years, transitioning from an open technique to arthroscopic surgery. Although multiple techniques for bone fixation have been described, the steps to perform this repair have not been standardized, leading to inconsistencies and heterogeneity in the outcomes. This article proposes a new classification of rotator cuff injuries that will help surgeons make decisions during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgery. Level of Evidence: IV

Risk factors for infections after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To explore risk factors for infections after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, and improve the under standing for reducing infection.@*METHODS@#Clinical data of 2 591 patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair from January 2019 to January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 1 265 males and 1 326 females, aged from 25 to 82 years old with an average age of (51.5±15.6) years old. They were divided into infection group(n=18) and uninfected group(n=2 573) according to whether or not patients had postoperative infection. Gender, age, smoking, diabetes, body mass index, local closure within 1 month before operation, operation time, preventive use of antibiotics, and internal fixation implantation between two groups were recorded. Univariate Logistic regression analysis screened factors associated with infections after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Theresultswere entered into the multivariate logistic regression analysis, screening the high risk factors for infections after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.@*RESULTS@#In 2 591 patients, 18 patients were infected after operation, infection rate was 0.69%. Univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that gender, age, operation time, antibiotic prophylaxis, internal fixation implantation were risk factors for infections after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed male(OR=14.227), age≥65 years(OR=34.313), operation time≥2 h (OR=15.616), without antibiotic prophylaxis(OR=4.891), and internal fixation implantation(OR=5.103) were major risk factors for infection after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair(P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Male, age≥65 years, operation time≥2 h, without antibiotic prophylaxis and internal fixation implantation were independent risk factors for infection after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Early diagnosis and timely treatment should be carried out to reduce the incidence of infection.

Effect of critical shoulder angle on deltoid muscle strength reduction in patients with rotator cuff tears / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the synergistic interaction between the deltoid muscle and the rotator cuff muscle group in patients with rotator cuff tears (RCT), as well as the impact of the critical shoulder angle (CSA) on deltoid muscle strength.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data from 42 RCT patients who met the selection criteria and were treated between March 2022 and March 2023. There were 13 males and 29 females, with an age range of 42-77 years (mean, 60.5 years). Preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score was 6.0±1.6. CSA measurements were obtained from standard anteroposterior X-ray films before operation, and patients were divided into two groups based on CSA measurements: CSA>35° group (group A) and CSA≤35° group (group B). Handheld dynamometry was used to measure the muscle strength of various muscle group in the shoulder (including the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and anterior, middle, and posterior bundles of the deltoid). The muscle strength of the unaffected side was compared to the affected side, and muscle imbalance indices were calculated. Muscle imbalance indices between male and female patients, dominant and non-dominant sides, and groups A and B were compared. Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the relationship between muscle imbalance indices and CSA as well as VAS scores.@*RESULTS@#Muscle strength in all muscle groups on the affected side was significantly lower than on the unaffected side ( P<0.05). The muscle imbalance indices for the supraspinatus, subscapularis, infraspinatus, and anterior, middle, and posterior bundles of the deltoid were 14.8%±24.4%, 5.9%±9.7%, 7.2% (0, 9.1%), 17.2% (5.9%, 26.9%), 8.3%±21.3%, and 10.2% (2.8%, 15.4%), respectively. The muscle imbalance indices of the anterior bundle of the deltoid, supraspinatus, and infraspinatus were significantly lower in male patients compared to female patients ( P<0.05); however, there was no significant difference in muscle imbalance indices among other muscle groups between male and female patients or between the dominant and non-dominant sides ( P>0.05). There was a positive correlation between the muscle imbalance indices of infraspinatus and VAS score ( P<0.05), and a positive correlation between CSA and the muscle imbalance indices of middle bundle of deltoid ( P<0.05). There was no correlation between the muscle imbalance indices of other muscle groups and VAS score or CSA ( P>0.05). Preoperative CSA ranged from 17.6° to 39.4°, with a mean of 31.1°. There were 9 cases in group A and 33 cases in group B. The muscle imbalance indices of the anterior bundle of the deltoid was significantly lower in group A compared to group B ( P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in muscle imbalance indices among other muscle groups between group A and group B ( P>0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Patients with RCT have a phenomenon of deltoid muscle strength reduction, which is more pronounced in the population with a larger CSA.

Mid-term effectiveness of arthroscopic "mini incision" transtendon repair for partial articular-sided supraspinatus tendon avulsion lesion / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the mid-term effectiveness of arthroscopic "mini incision" transtendon repair for partial articular-sided supraspinatus tendon avulsion (PASTA) lesion.@*METHODS@#A clinical data of 39 patients with PASTA lesions, who underwent the arthroscopic "mini incision" transtendon repair and met the selected criteria between May 2017 and April 2021, was retrospectively analyzed. There were 13 males and 26 females, with an average age of 63.7 years (range, 43-76 years). Nine patients underwent trauma history, and no obvious inducement was found in the other 30 patients. The main clinical symptom was shoulder pain with positive hug resistance test. The interval from symptom onset to operation was 3-21 months (mean, 8.3 months). The visual analogue scale (VAS) score, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder score, American Association of Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score and shoulder range of motion (ROM) of forward flexion, abduction, and external rotation were used to evaluate shoulder function. MRI was performed to assess the structural integrity and tension of reattached tendon. Patient satisfactions were calculated at last follow-up.@*RESULTS@#All incisions healed by first intention with no complications such as incision infection or nerve injury. All patients were followed up 24-71 months (mean, 46.9 months). The VAS, UCLA, and ASES scores significantly improved at 24 months after operation when compared with preoperative ones ( P<0.05). The ROMs of forward flexion and external rotation of the shoulder joint significantly increased at 3 and 24 months, and further increased at 24 months compared to 3 months, with significant differences ( P<0.05). However, the ROM of abduction of the shoulder joint at 3 months did not significantly improve compared with that before operation ( P>0.05), and it was significantly greater at 24 months than before operation and at 3 months after operation ( P<0.05). At last follow-up, the patients were very satisfied with the effectiveness in 30 cases (76.9%), satisfied in 5 cases (12.8%), and dissatisfied in 4 cases (10.3%). At 6 months after operation, 31 patients underwent reviews of MRI scans, of which 28 patients possessed intact structural integrity, good tendon tension and tendon healing, and 3 patients underwent tendon re-tear.@*CONCLUSION@#Arthroscopic "mini incision" transtendon repair in treatment of PASTA lesion could obtain satisfying mid-term effectiveness with low risk of tendon re-tear.

Effectiveness analysis of "tail compression fixation+suture bridge" technology under shoulder arthroscopy for treating primary tear in medial enthesis of rotator cuff / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of "tail compression fixation+suture bridge" technology under shoulder arthroscopy for treating primary tear in medial enthesis of rotator cuff.@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 11 patients with primary tear in medial enthesis of rotator cuff who met the selection criteria between October 2020 and October 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 3 males and 8 females, aged 39-79 years, with an average of 61.0 years. Rotator cuff injury was caused by traumatic fall in 8 cases, and the time from injury to admission was 1-4 months, with an average of 2.0 months; the remaining 3 cases had no obvious inducement. The active range of motion of the affected shoulder was limited, with an active forward flexion range of motion of (64.1±10.9)°, abduction of (78.1±6.4)°, internal rotation of (48.2±6.6)°, and external rotation of (41.8±10.5)°; 5 cases had shoulder stiffness. The preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score was 7.8±0.8 and the American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score was 23.9±6.4. The patients were treated with "tail compression fixation+suture bridge" technology under shoulder arthroscopy, and the pain and functional recovery were evaluated by VAS score, ASES score, and active range of motion of shoulder joint at last follow-up; MRI was performed after operation, and the integrity of rotator cuff was evaluated by Sugaya classification system.@*RESULTS@#All the 11 patients were followed up 2-22 months, with an average of 13.5 months. All incisions healed by first intention, and there was no complication such as infection, rotator cuff re-tear, and anchor falling off. At last follow-up, the VAS score was 0.8±0.7 and the ASES score was 93.5±4.2, which significantly improved when compared with those before operation ( P<0.05). All 11 patients had no significant swelling in the shoulders, and the active range of motion was (165.1±8.8)° in flexion, (75.3±8.4)° in abduction, (56.6±5.5)° in internal rotation, and (51.8±4.0)° in external rotation, which significantly improved when compared with those before operation ( P<0.05). Shoulder MRI showed adequate tendon thickness and good continuity in 9 cases, including 4 cases with partial high signal area; and 2 cases with inadequate tendon thickness but high continuity and partial high signal area. According to Sugaya classification system, there were 4 cases of type 1 (36.4%), 5 cases of type 2 (45.5%), and 2 cases of type 3 (18.1%).@*CONCLUSION@#For the patients with primary tear in medial enthesis of rotator cuff, the "tail compression fixation+suture bridge" technology under shoulder arthroscopy is simple and effective.

Modified Latarjet splitting subscapularis muscle under arthroscopy: an anatomical study based on axillary nerve, glenoid, and subscapularis muscle / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To testify the spatial relationship between the subscapularis muscle splitting window and the axillary nerve in modified arthroscopic Latarjet procedure, which could provide anatomical basis for the modification of the subscapularis muscle splitting.@*METHODS@#A total of 29 adult cadaveric shoulder specimens were dissected layer by layer, and the axillary nerve was finally confirmed to walk on the front surface of the subscapularis muscle. Keeping the shoulder joint in a neutral position, the Kirschner wire was passed through the subscapularis muscle from back to front at the 4 : 00 position of the right glenoid circle (7 : 00 position of the left glenoid circle), and the anterior exit point (point A, the point of splitting subscapularis muscle during Latarjet procedure) was recorded. The vertical and horizontal distances between point A and the axillary nerve were measured respectively.@*RESULTS@#In the neutral position of the shoulder joint, the distance between the point A and the axillary nerve was 27.37 (19.80, 34.55) mm in the horizontal plane and 16.67 (12.85, 20.35) mm in the vertical plane.@*CONCLUSION@#In the neutral position of the shoulder joint, the possibility of axillary nerve injury will be relatively reduced when radiofrequency is taken from the 4 : 00 position of the right glenoid (7 : 00 position of the left glenoid circle), passing through the subscapularis muscle posteriorly and anteriorly and splitting outward.

Clinical and radiologic outcomes after tendon insertion medialized repair of large-to-massive rotator cuff tears / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the effectiveness of tendon insertion medialized repair in treatment of large-to-massive rotator cuff tears (L/MRCT).@*METHODS@#The clinical and imaging data of 46 L/MRCT patients who underwent arthroscopic insertion medialized repair between October 2015 and June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 26 males and 20 females with an average age of 57.7 years (range, 40-75 years). There were 20 cases of large rotator cuff tears and 26 cases of massive rotator cuff tears. Preoperative imaging evaluation included fatty infiltration (Goutallier grade), tendon retraction (modified Patte grade), supraspinatus tangent sign, acromiohumeral distance (AHD), and postoperative medializaiton length and tendon integrity. The clinical outcome was evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS) score, American Society for Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (ASES) score, shoulder range of motion (including anteflexion and elevation, lateral external, and internal rotation) and anteflexion and elevation muscle strength before and after operation. The patients were divided into two groups (the intact tendon group and the re-teared group) according to the integrity of the tendon after operation. According to the medializaiton length, the patients were divided into group A (medialization length ≤10 mm) and group B (medialization length >10 mm). The clinical function and imaging indexes of the patients were compared.@*RESULTS@#All patients were followed up 24-56 months, with an average of 31.8 months. At 1 year after operation, MRI showed that the medializaiton length of supraspinatus tendon was 5-15 mm, with an average of 10.26 mm, 33 cases in group A and 13 cases in group B. Eleven cases (23.91%) had re-teared, including 5 cases (45.45%) of Sugaya type Ⅳ and 6 cases (54.55%) of Sugaya type Ⅴ. At last follow-up, the VAS score, ASES score, shoulder anteflexion and elevation range of motion, lateral external rotation range of motion, and anteflexion and elevation muscle strength significantly improved when compared with those before operation ( P<0.05); there was no significant difference in internal rotation range of motion between pre- and post-operation ( P>0.05). The Goutallier grade and modified Patte grade of supraspinatus muscle in the re-teared group were significantly higher than those in the intact tendon group, and the AHD was significantly lower than that in the intact tendon group ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in other baseline data between the two groups ( P>0.05). Except that the ASES score of the intact tendon group was significantly higher than that of the re-teared group ( P<0.05), there was no significant difference in the other postoperative clinical functional indicators between the two groups ( P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of re-tear, VAS score, ASES score, range of motion of shoulder joint, and anteflexion and elevation muscle strength between group A and group B ( P>0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Tendon insertion medialized repair may be useful in cases with L/MRCT, and shows good postoperative shoulder function. Neither tendon integrity nor medialization length shows apparent correlations with postoperative shoulder function.

Meta-analysis of obesity on the outcome of rotator cuff repair / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To systematically evaluate obesity on the outcome of rotator cuff repair.@*METHODS@#Literatures on the relationship between obesity and outcomes after rotator cuff repair were searched from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China biology medicine(CBM), CNKI, Wanfang and VIP databases from building database to August 1, 2022, and were screened independently by two authors according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Endnote X9 and Excel 2019 were used for literature extraction, management and data entry, and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to evaluate quality of the included literatures. STATA 16.0 and RevMan 5.4 softwares were used to evaluate postoperative retear rate, reoperation rate, complication rate, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, visual analogue scale (VAS), operative time and external rotation angle of shoulder joint pain were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#Totally 13 literatures were included, including 6 retrospective studies, 5 case-control studies, 1 prospective cohort study, and 1 abstract of a study for which the full text was not available, with 85 503 patients (31 973 in obese group and 53 530 in non-obese group). Meta-analysis showed there were statistical differences between two groups in retear rate [OR=2.58, 95%CI(1.23, 5.41), P=0.01], reoperation rate[OR=1.31, 95%CI(1.21, 1.42), P<0.00], complication rate [OR=1.57, 95%CI(1.31, 1.87), P=0.00], ASES score[MD=-3.59, 95%CI(-5.45, -1.74), P=0.00], and VAS[MD=0.24, 95%CI(0.00, 0.49), P=0.05]. While there were no differences between two groups in operative time[MD=6.03, 95%CI(-7.63, 19.69), P=0.39], external rotation angle of shoulder joint[MD=-1.79, 95%CI(-5.30, 1.71), P=0.32].@*CONCLUSION@#Obesity is associated with higher rates of retear, resurgery, complications, poorer shoulder function and pain after rotator cuff repair.

Arthroscopic assistance of latissimus dorsi tendon transposition for the treatment of unrepairable rotator cuff tear / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To explore clinical effect of arthroscopy-assisted rotator cuff tendon transfer in treating irreparable rotator cuff tears (IRCT).@*METHODS@#From May 2015 to May 2018, 23 patients with unrepairable rotator cuff tears were treated with arthroscopy-assisted rotator cuff tendon transfer, and 21 patients were followed up finally, including 8 males and 13 females, aged from 48 to 82 years old with an average of(64.3±9.1) years old;the courses of disease ranged from 6 to 36 months with an average of (14.0±6.4) months. American Rotator and Elbow Surgeons Score(ASES) and Constant-Murley score were used to evaluate clinical efficacy before surgery and at the latest follow-up.@*RESULTS@#All 21 patients were followed up for 36 to 54 months with an average of (39.4±4.4) months. Axillary incision of 1 patient was redness, swelling and exudation after surgery, which healed after 3 weeks of dressing change, and exudate culture was negative. At the latest follow-up, MRI showed partial tearing of the metastatic tendon in 2 patients, but pain and movement of the affected shoulder were still better than before surgery. ASES increased from preoperative (41.0±9.6) scores to the latest follow-up (75.6±14.0) scores, and had statistical difference (t=10.50, P<0.01). Constant-Murley score increased from (49.8±7.1) scores before operation to (67.5±11.6) scores at the latest follow-up (t=11.27, P<0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#Arthroscopic assisted latissimus dorsalis tendon transposition restores physiological and anatomical structure of glenohumeral joint by reconstructing balance of horizontal and vertical couples of shoulder joint, thus achieving the stability of the shoulder joint, relieving shoulder pain and improving shoulder joint function.

Pro-oxidation status of rotator cuff tissue and expression of Beclin-1 and mTOR in patients with rotator cuff injury / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To explore pro-oxidative state of rotator cuff tissue and expression levels of Beclin-1 and mam-malian target of rapamycin(mTOR) in patients with acute and chronic rotator cuff injury, and then analyzed relationship between rotator cuff injury and oxidative stress and autophagy.@*METHODS@#Forty patients with rotator cuff injury were seleceted from July 2019 to December 2020, and divided into male chronic injury group, male acute injury group, female chronic injury group, and female acute injury group, 10 patients in each group. All patients were performed rotator cuff repair under arthroscopy. The sample of tendon at the rotator cuff injury site of the patient was taken during operation, and total reactive oxygen species (ROS) and superoxide dismutase(SOD) were detected by detection kit;expression of Beclin-1 and mTOR mRNA were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and Western-blot was applied to detect protein expression of Beclin-1 and p-mTOR/mTOR.@*RESULTS@#There were no significant difference in expression of ROS, SOD, Beclin-1mRNA and mTOR mRNA between male and female chronic injury groups, and between male and female acute injury groups (P>0.05); ROS, SOD and Beclin-1mRNA in male chronic injury group were higher than those in male chronic injury group, while mTOR mRNAand protein decreased (P<0.05);ROS, SOD and Beclin-1 mRNA in female chronic injury group were up-regulated compared with female acute injury group, while mTOR mRNA was down-regulated (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Chronic rotator cuff injury is more likely to stimulate the pro-oxidation state of rotator cuff tissue than acute rotator cuff injury, which could up-regulating expression of autophagy factor Beclin-1 and down-regulating expression of mTOR. Therefore, patients with chronic rotator cuff injury may have higher levels of oxidative stress and autophagy.

Value of contrast-enhanced percutaneous ultrasound in the diagnosis of rotator cuff tear subtype / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To explore characteristics of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) images features and diagnostic value of rotator cuff tear subtypes.@*METHODS@#From January 2019 to March 2022, percutaneous ultrasound-guided subacromial bursography (PUSB) with persutaneous ultrasound-guide tendon lesionography (PUTL) was performed on 114 patients with suspected rotator cuff injury were evaluated, including 54 males and 60 females ranged in age from 35 to 75 years old with an average of (58.8±8.7 ) years old;76 patients on the right side and 38 patients on the left side;the course of disease ranged from 0.13 to 111 months with an average of (10.2±9.8) months. GE LOGIQ E9 color doppler ultrasound diagnostic high frequency(6 to 12 MHz) was used to CEUS Using arthroscopy as gold standard, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate diagnostic efficacy of US, MRI and CEUS for rotator cuff injury, also sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy were calculated.@*RESULTS@#The sensitivity of US in diagnosing full-thickness tears was 72.1%, specificity was 93.0%, and accuracy was 85.1%. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of MRI diagnosis of full-thickness tear were 90.9%, 92.6% and 92.1% respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of CEUS in diagnosis of full-thickness tear were 100%. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of US in the diagnosis of partial tear were 85.7%, 77.2% and 79.8% respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of MRI diagnosis of partial tear were 83.7%, 81.7% and 82.5% respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of CEUS in diagnosis of partial tear were 95.7%, 92.6% and 93.9% respectively. There were significant differences in diagnosis results of US, MRI and CEUS for rotator cuff bursa tear (P<0.001). Kapp test showed good consistency between CEUS and arthroscopy in diagnosing rotator cuff tear subtypes (full-thickness and partial tears).@*CONCLUSION@#Using PUSB/PUTL to observe distribution of contrast media in bursa, tendon and joint cavity to evaluate the type of rotator cuff tear, its diagnostic performance is significantly better than US and MRI. Therefore, percutaneous contrast-enhanced ultrasound can be a reliable method for diagnosing subtypes of rotator cuff tears.

Early effectiveness of arthroscopic superior fulcrum reconstruction in treatment of irreparable massive rotator cuff tear / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate early effectiveness of arthroscopic superior fulcrum reconstruction in the treatment of irreparable massive rotator cuff tear (IMRCT).@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 24 patients with IMRCT who met the inclusion criteria between January 2020 and April 2022. Among them, there were 11 males and 13 females with an average age of 56.2 years (range, 42-68 years). There were 12 cases of falling injuries, 3 cases of traction injuries, and the other 9 cases had no obvious causes. The disease duration ranged from 1 to 25 months (median, 6 months). The rotator cuff tears were classified as Hamada grade 2 in 18 cases and grade 3 in 6 cases, and Goutallier grade 1 in 3 cases, grade 2 in 20 cases, and grade 3 in 1 case. All patients were treated with arthroscopic superior fulcrum reconstruction. Visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Constant-Murley score, the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) score, and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score were recorded before operation and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after operation.@*RESULTS@#The operations were all successfully completed. The incisions healed by first intention and no related complications occurred. All patients were followed up 12-33 months (mean, 24.6 months). The VAS, Constant-Murley, UCLA, and ASES scores at different time points after operation were superior to those before operation ( P<0.05). All of the above indicators further improved with time. Except for no significant difference in VAS and Constant-Murley scores between 6 and 12 months ( P>0.05), the differences between the other time points were significant ( P<0.05). At 12 months after operation, according to UCLA scoring standard, shoulder joint function was rated as excellent in 4 cases, good in 19 cases, and poor in 1 case, with an excellent and good rate of 96.0%. MRI showed that there was no graft re-tear and the transplanted tendon and bone tunnel healed.@*CONCLUSION@#The arthroscopic superior fulcrum reconstruction for IMRCT can effectively relieve the pain, improve the shoulder range of motion, and restore good shoulder function.

Early effectiveness of arthroscopic repair of supraspinatus tendon tears with douple-pulley suture-bridge / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the early effectiveness of arthroscopic repair of supraspinatus tendon tears with douple-pulley suture-bridge.@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 38 patients with supraspinatus tendon tears who met the selection criteria between September 2020 and July 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, and all of them were treated with arthroscopic double-pulley suture-bridge technique. There were 15 males and 23 females, aged from 43 to 77 years, with an average of 61.5 years. There were 15 cases of left shoulder and 23 cases of right shoulder. Seven cases had a history of trauma, and the other 31 cases had no obvious inducement. The main clinical symptoms of the patient were pain in lifting the shoulder joint and hug resistance test (+). The time from onset of symptoms to admission ranged from 6 to 19 months, with an average of 10.3 months. Flexion, abduction, and external rotation of the shoulder were recorded before operation and at 3 and 12 months after operation. Pain and function of the shoulder were evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS) score, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder score, and American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score before operation and at 12 months after operation. Tendon healing, tendon continuity, and tension were evaluated by MRI at 3-6 months after operation, and patient's satisfaction was evaluated at last follow-up.@*RESULTS@#All the incisions healed by first intention, and there was no complication such as incision infection or nerve injury. All patients were followed up 12-34 months, with an average of 23.3 months. VAS score, UCLA shoulder score, and ASES score at 12 months after operation were significantly better than those before operation ( P<0.05). The external rotation range of shoulder joint significantly improved at 3 and 12 months after operation ( P<0.05), and it further improved at 12 months after operation when compared with 3 months after operation ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the range of flexion and abduction at 3 months after operation when compared with those before operation ( P>0.05), but the range of flexion and abduction at 12 months after operation significantly improved when compared with those before operation and at 3 months after operation ( P<0.05). MRI reexamination was performed in 28 patients at 3-6 months after operation. Among them, 25 patients had intact supraspinatus tendon structure, good tension, and tendon healing, and 3 patients had type 1 retear. The remaining 10 patients refused to undergo MRI reexamination because of the satisfactory effectiveness. At last follow-up, 29 patients (76.3%) were very satisfied with the results, 6 (15.7%) were satisfied, and 3 (7.8%) were not satisfied.@*CONCLUSION@#Arthroscopic double-pulley suture-bridge technique can achieve the effect of suture bridge operation, reduce the cost of operation and the risk of type 2 retear, and the early effectiveness is satisfactory, but the shoulder joint movement is limited within 3 months after operation.

The rotator cuff footprint in Filipinos: A cadaveric study

Introduction@#Rotator cuff tears are one of the common etiologies of shoulder pain. Rotator cuff repair is recommended for a patient who failed conservative treatment. Proper knowledge of the rotator cuff footprint is needed in restoring correct anatomy during the repair. The size of the footprint is important in determining the kind of repair.@*Objective@#This study aimed to define the average measurements of the rotator cuff footprint on the humerus in Filipino cadavers.@*Methods@#This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study of preserved human cadaver upper extremity specimens. We measured the length, width, and shape of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and teres minor.@*Results@#We obtained 27 upper extremity specimens. The median age of the source cadavers was 50.5 years with the equal male-to-female distribution. The mean measurement of the supraspinatus is 22.92 mm in length and 10.17 mm in width. The shape of the supraspinatus was found to be trapezoidal. The infraspinatus length was found to be 17.20 mm and the width at 10.72 mm. Its shape was found to be trapezoidal. The teres minor length was measured at 15.15 mm and the width at 11.04 mm. The shape was mostly trapezoidal but some were triangular. Finally, the subscapularis length was 17.68 mm while the width was 11.26 mm. The shape was trapezoidal or comma-shaped.@*Conclusion@#The average measurement of the rotator cuff footprint was found to be smaller in our study than reported in terms of length and width. The footprint shape was similar to the studies reported.