In vivo healing after capsular plication in an ovine shoulder model.

Traditionally, arthroscopic management of shoulder instability has been reserved for patients with isolated Bankart lesions without any capsular laxity or injury. To date, there are no animal studies evaluating the healing potential of capsular plication and/or capsulo-labral repair. The purpose of this in vivo animal study was to determine if the histological capsular healing of an open capsular plication simulating an arthroscopic plication is equivalent to the more traditional open capsular shift involving cutting and advancing the capsule. Twenty-six skeletally mature sheep were randomized to either an open capsular plication simulating arthroscopic plication (n = 13), or an open traditional capsular shift (n = 13). A sham operation (n = 4) was also performed involving exposure to visualize the capsule. Normal non-operated control shoulders were also analyzed. A pathologist blinded to the treatment evaluated both hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) sections and polarized light microscopy. Qualitative scoring evaluated fibrosis, mucinous degeneration, fat necrosis, granuloma formation, vascularity, inflammatory infiltrate and hemosiderin (0 to 3 points). Both the capsular plication and open shift groups demonstrated healing by fibrosis at the site of surgical manipulation. There were no statistical differences in the capsular healing responses between the two groups with regard to fibrosis, granuloma formation and vascularity. The open shift group demonstrated significantly more mucinous degeneration (p = 0.038). Fat necrosis was present in 4/13 specimens in the open shift group and none in the capsular plication specimens. Both groups demonstrated disorganized collagen formation under polarized light microscopy. There were no differences between non-operated control specimens and sham surgery specimens. Our findings support the hypothesis that histologic capsular healing is equivalent between the plication group and the open shift group. In addition, the open shift group demonstrated significantly more changes indicative of tissue injury. This basic science model confirms capsular healing after simulated arthroscopic plication, providing support for arthroscopic capsular plication in practice.

Hip and shoulder internal rotation range of motion deficits in professional tennis players.

One hundred tennis players were recruited from the professional men's tennis tour to investigate the correlation between hip internal rotation deficits and low back pain (LBP), as well as shoulder internal rotation deficits and shoulder pain. A statistically significant correlation was observed between dominant shoulder internal rotation deficits and shoulder pain. Also observed was a statistically significant correlation between lead hip internal rotation deficits and lumbar extension deficits with LBP. We conclude that due to repetitive demands on the dominant shoulder and repetitive pivoting at the lead hip, the cycle of microtrauma and scar formation leads to capsular contracture and subsequent reduction in internal range of motion. It is likely that the limitation in lumbar extension in the symptomatic group is not only due to decreased flexibility from an increased load on the spine, but also due to a protective mechanism to prevent further exacerbation of the LBP. Physical conditioning that includes shoulder as well as hip internal rotation stretching programs should therefore be essential aspects in the treatment of tennis players with shoulder pain and LBP respectively.

Reliability, validity, and responsiveness of four knee outcome scales for athletic patients.

BACKGROUND: Many patient-based knee-rating scales are available for the evaluation of athletic patients. However, there is little information on the measurement properties of these instruments and therefore no evidence to support the use of one questionnaire rather than another. The goal of the present study was to determine the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of four knee-rating scales commonly used for the evaluation of athletic patients: the Lysholm scale, the subjective components of the Cincinnati knee-rating system, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons sports knee-rating scale, and the Activities of Daily Living scale of the Knee Outcome Survey. METHODS: All patients in the study had a disorder of the knee and were active in sports (a Tegner score of 4 points). Forty-one patients who had a knee disorder that had stabilized and who were not receiving treatment were administered all four questionnaires at baseline and again at a mean of 5.2 days (range, two to fourteen days) later to test reliability. Forty-two patients were administered the scales at baseline and at a minimum of three months after treatment to test responsiveness. The responses of 133 patients at baseline were studied to test construct validity. RESULTS: The reliability was high for all scales, with the intraclass correlation coefficient ranging from 0.88 to 0.95. As for construct validity, the correlations among the knee scales ranged from 0.70 to 0.85 and those between the knee scales and the physical component scale of the Short Form-36 (SF-36) and the patient and clinician severity ratings ranged from 0.59 to 0.77. Responsiveness, measured with the standardized response mean, ranged from 0.8 for the Cincinnati knee-rating system to 1.1 for the Activities of Daily Living scale. CONCLUSIONS: All four scales satisfied our criteria for reliability, validity, and responsiveness, and all are acceptable for use in clinical research.

The anatomy and histology of the rotator interval capsule of the shoulder.

Forty-seven rotator interval regions from fetuses and 10 fresh-frozen rotator interval regions from adult cadavers were evaluated by gross dissection and light microscopy. Specimens from adults also were evaluated with ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. An analysis of 37 fetal specimens (> 14 weeks gestation) revealed two rotator interval types: Type I (9 of 37) was defined by a contiguous bridge of capsule consisting of poorly organized collagen fibers. A Type II rotator interval (28 of 37) had a complete defect covered by only a thin layer of synovium. Similar to the Type II rotator interval in the fetus, a rotator interval defect was present in six of eight specimens from adults. Histologically, the capsular tissue within the rotator interval consisted of poorly organized collagen fibers in specimens from the fetus and adult. Maximal opening of the rotator interval was seen by ultrasound with internal rotation and downward traction of the hyperextended arm in the coronal, oblique, and sagittal planes. Magnetic resonance imaging of the rotator interval region permitted anatomic evaluation. The complete absence of tissue in 28 of 37 fetuses suggests that the rotator interval defect is congenital. The authors recommend that surgeons carefully evaluate the integrity of the tissue within the rotator interval. When rotator interval closure is desired such as in patients with a persistent sulcus sign after arthroscopic stabilization, suturing the edges of more substantial tissue immediately adjacent to the boundaries of the rotator interval region would seem prudent.

Antique, archaic and arcane dermatologic instrumentation and armamentarium.

Numerous instruments and devices have been used by dermatologists, other physicians and lay practitioners through the ages to treat skin, hair, nails, venereal diseases, and fat. And there have often been overlaps among the antique, the arcane, the bogus, and the new.

Valgus instability of the elbow in athletes.

Valgus instability of the elbow in athletes is uncommon among athletes in general, but has a higher incidence in individuals who throw repetitively. When valgus overload injury results in disabling symptoms for the athlete, surgical reconstruction of the anterior band of the ulnar collateral ligament may be indicated. This procedure has been successful in getting athletes back to premorbid levels of competition. The authors provide a comprehensive review of valgus instability of the elbow and offer their preferred method of treatment.

Evaluation and management of shoulder instability in the elite overhead thrower.

The elite throwing athlete places significant forces on the soft-tissue stabilizers of the shoulder with every pitch. Anterior translation forces can be as high as 40% of body weight and distraction forces as high as 80% body weight during the act of throwing. Injury to the static and dynamic stabilizers can lead to significant pain and loss of function in these athletes. To successfully treat the injured thrower, it is important to accurately diagnose the pathologic process. This article reviews the biomechanics of throwing and pathologic processes seen in the elite thrower. We cover the essentials of the history and physical in this population and conclude with a discussion of the various treatment regimens.

Shoulder injury in the throwing athlete.

Successful nonoperative management of shoulder injury in the throwing athlete requires a comprehensive team approach. The cornerstone of management is physical therapy to restore strength, balance, and endurance to the shoulder girdle musculature followed by a return to a throwing program. The return to competitive throwing is usually a lengthy process requiring patience from the medical team and the athlete.

Surgical management of posterior shoulder instability in a ten-year-old boy: a case report and literature review.

Posterior shoulder instability is an uncommon clinical entity. It is even more rare in the pediatric population. We report the case of a 10-year-old boy who experienced recurrent posttraumatic posterior shoulder instability that eventually required surgical intervention. A review of the literature revealed no previous report of surgical management of nonobstetrical posttraumatic posterior glenohumeral instability in a skeletally immature individual.

An aneurysm involving the axillary artery and its branch vessels in a major league baseball pitcher. A case report and review of the literature.

Baseball pitchers appear to be prone to aneurysms of the axillary artery and its branches. The cause is probably related to repetitive compression of or tension on the vessels at the level of the pectoralis minor muscle and the humeral head, which is exacerbated by the pitching motion. The incidence of aneurysms of the axillary artery and its branches among pitchers and other athletes is not known, nor is it clear whether pitchers who are at high risk of vascular injury can be identified before irreversible damage to the vessels has occurred. Perhaps patients who have documented compression or occlusion of the vessel with the arm in the abducted, externally rotated position are at higher risk. Screening pitchers to identify those with axillary artery compression, aneurysm, or thrombosis has also not been shown to be effective. Certainly, many pitchers will have some level of compression of the axillary artery with their arm in the pitching position but will never develop any clinical abnormality requiring treatment. Screening would therefore probably lead to a high false-positive rate. It is clear, however, that pitchers who complain of ischemia-type symptoms such as early fatigue or who have evidence of emboli require a complete evaluation to rule out any abnormality of the axillary artery or one of its branches. Orthopaedic surgeons who see pitchers and other athletes involved in repetitive overhead motions need to be aware of this disorder so that they order the appropriate tests and obtain a vascular consultation--and make a prompt diagnosis. Treatment will vary depending on the type of lesion and on which vessel or vessels are involved, and should be decided on by the team of surgeons treating the patient.

Noncontrast magnetic resonance imaging of superior labral lesions. 102 cases confirmed at arthroscopic surgery.

Previous studies report that noncontrast magnetic resonance imaging is limited in the evaluation of the superior glenoid labrum. From our magnetic resonance imaging database of 2552 patients, we prospectively identified 104 patients with superior labral lesions who subsequently went on to arthroscopic surgery. Magnetic resonance images were assessed to identify fraying, flap tears, bucket-handle tears, or displaced flap of fibrocartilage. The biceps tendon was also evaluated. Patients were categorized according to Snyder's classification, and the findings on the magnetic resonance images were correlated with surgical findings. One hundred of the 104 tears suspected on the images were confirmed at surgery. There were four false-positives and two false-negatives, the former reflecting one normal labrum, two meniscoid-type labra, and one sublabral foramen. With arthroscopic surgery as the standard, magnetic resonance imaging had a sensitivity of 98.0% (100 of 102), a specificity of 89.5% (34 of 38), and an accuracy of 95.7% (134 of 140) for detection of superior labral lesions. We concluded that high-resolution noncontrast magnetic resonance imaging can accurately diagnose superior labral lesions and aid in surgical management.

Arthroscopic acromioplasty: a 6- to 10-year follow-up.

Arthroscopic acromioplasty has become a common procedure for the treatment of chronic impingement syndrome. Short-term studies have consistently shown good results; however, long-term data have not previously been reported in the literature. Of 102 consecutive patients undergoing arthroscopic acromioplasty at our institution from 1984 to 1988, 82 patients (83 shoulders) were available for evaluation. The patients were reviewed after a mean of 8 years, 5 months from their original surgery. There were 16 failures (19%) with unsatisfactory results following surgery; 13 patients (15%) required further surgery to relieve persistent pain. Thirty-three percent of all patients previously involved in sports were unable to return to overhead and throwing sports due to pain and lack of power with throwing. Overall, 81% of patients in our series had good to excellent results after 6 to 10 years. To optimize the indications for the procedure, other causes of impingement, such as occult instability and degenerative joint disease, should be ruled out. Throwers may have difficulty returning to their sport at the same level of intensity, and should be addressed independently.

The elbow.

Elbow disorders in the athletic population comprise a wide range of injuries from acute trauma to those caused by chronic overuse of the joint. Certain injuries are orthopedic emergencies that must be recognized immediately by the team physician to avoid potential complications. Other overuse injuries need to be accurately diagnosed and treated so further injury can be prevented and the athlete can return to competition as expediently as possible. Finally, the decision to refer an athlete for surgical treatment often rests with the team physician; only with an adequate understanding of the elbow disorders in the athlete can these decisions be made.

Biomechanical evaluation of the medial collateral ligament of the elbow.

UNLABELLED: Anatomical dissection and biomechanical testing were used to study twenty-eight cadaveric elbows in order to determine the role of the medial collateral ligament under valgus loading. The medial collateral ligament was composed of anterior, posterior, and occasionally transverse bundles. The anterior bundle was, in turn, composed of anterior and posterior bands that tightened in reciprocal fashion as the elbow was flexed and extended. Sequential cutting of the ligament was performed while rotation caused by valgus torque was measured. The anterior band of the anterior bundle was the primary restraint to valgus rotation at 30, 60, and 90 degrees of flexion and was a co-primary restraint at 120 degrees of flexion. The posterior band of the anterior bundle was a co-primary restraint at 120 degrees of flexion and a secondary restraint at 30 and 90 degrees of flexion. The posterior bundle was a secondary restraint at 30 degrees only. The reciprocal anterior and posterior bands have distinct biomechanical roles and theoretically may be injured separately. The anterior band was more vulnerable to valgus overload when the elbow was extended, whereas the posterior band was more vulnerable when the elbow was flexed. The posterior bundle was not vulnerable to valgus overload unless the anterior bundle was completely disrupted. The intact elbows rotated a mean of 3.6 degrees between the neutral position and the two-newton-meter valgus torque position. Cutting of the entire anterior bundle caused an additional 3.2 degrees of rotation at 90 degrees of flexion, where the effect was greatest. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Physical findings in a patient who has an injury of the anterior bundle may be subtle, and an examination should be performed with the elbow in 90 degrees of flexion for greatest sensitivity. As the anterior bundle is the major restraint to valgus rotation, reconstructive procedures should focus on anatomical reproduction of that structure. Parallel limbs of tendon graft placed from the inferior aspect of the medial epicondyle to the area of the sublimis tubercle will simulate the reciprocal bands of the anterior bundle. Temporary immobilization with the elbow in flexion may relax the critically important anterior band of the reconstruction during healing.

Arthroscopic treatment of partial rotator cuff tears in young athletes. A preliminary report.

Forty-three athletes under age 40, more than half of which were collegiate or professional, with partial rotator cuff tears were treated arthroscopically and observed for a minimum of 24 months. By history and mechanism of injury, two main groups were identified. Group A had 14 patients with acute, traumatic injuries. All 14 had inflamed subacromial bursas, but increased glenohumeral translation and labral lesions were uncommon. Twelve patients (86%) had satisfactory postoperative results and nine (64%) returned to preinjury sports after arthroscopic subacromial decompression and tear debridement. Group B had 29 overhead athletes with insidious, atraumatic shoulder pain. They were not as successful with debridement (19 [66%] satisfactory and 13 [45%] return to preinjury sports). Within Group B, three subgroups were identified based on the examination under anesthesia and subacromial inflammation. Group B1 (8 patients) had normal-appearing subacromial spaces and often increased anterior glenohumeral translation with posterior labral tears. These patients did poorly after arthroscopic tear debridement (3 [38%] satisfactory and 2 [25%] return to sports). Group B2 (12 patients) had inflamed subacromial bursas and increased glenohumeral translation. This group had marginal results with debridement (7 [58%] satisfactory and 6 [50%] return to sports). Group B3 (9 patients) with subacromial inflammation, yet without increased glenohumeral translation, had excellent pain relief (100%) but less than half (4) returned to preinjury sports.

A self-administered questionnaire for assessment of symptoms and function of the shoulder.

A self-administered questionnaire was designed to assess the severity of symptoms related to and the functional status of the shoulder. It includes domains of global assessment, pain, daily activities, recreational and athletic activities, work, satisfaction, and areas for improvement. Each domain is graded separately and is weighted to arrive at the total score. The over-all scale and each domain were prospectively tested for validity, reliability, and responsiveness to clinical change. One hundred patients who were seen for evaluation of the shoulder were enrolled in the study. The validity of the scale was demonstrated by moderate-to-high correlation of the domains and individual questions of the Shoulder Rating Questionnaire with those of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2. Validity was supported further by significant correlation of the scores in each domain with the level of satisfaction in that domain and by significantly lower scores in domains that patients selected as areas important for improvement. The over-all scale and each domain were internally consistent (Cronbach alpha, 0.71 to 0.90). Reproducibility was evaluated by repeated administration of the questionnaire after a mean of three days to forty patients whose condition was clinically stable. Reproducibility of the over-all questionnaire and individual domains was excellent (Spearman-Brown index, 0.94 to 0.98). Individual questions were reproducible, with a weighted kappa value of more than 0.7 for each. Responsiveness was evaluated by comparison of the preoperative and postoperative scores of thirty patients who had a satisfactory result one year after an operation on the shoulder. The over-all Shoulder Rating Questionnaire and each domain were responsive to clinical change as demonstrated by favorable standardized response means (range, 1.1 to 1.9) and indices of responsiveness (range, 1.1 to 2.0). Similar analysis performed for individual diagnostic groups supported the validity, reliability, and responsiveness of the questionnaire in each group. The self-administered shoulder questionnaire was found to be valid, reliable, and responsive to clinical change. These qualities should make it a useful instrument for the prospective assessment of the outcome of treatment of disorders related to the shoulder.

Arthroscopic acromioplasty. Current status.

Impingment is a chronic syndrome characterized by microtrauma, which causes progressive injury to the rotator cuff tendon. In recent years, arthro- scopic subacromial decompression/acromioplasty has been frequently used for the treatment of impingement syndrome and is quickly becoming the preferred surgical treatment when conservative modalities fail. Arthroscopic acromioplasty offers many benefits over open acromioplasty, including better cosmesis, lessened preoperative morbidity, a more complete intraoperative examination, and a hastened, early rehabilitation program.

The rotator cuff. Commentary.

To add clinical perspective to the articles of this two-issue collection, eight prominent shoulder surgeons discuss their approach to the treatment of rotator cuff disease. There is broad agreement in many areas, however, significant controversies remain.