Augmentation of a Transosseous-Equivalent Repair in Posterosuperior Nonacute Rotator Cuff Tears With a Bioinductive Collagen Implant Decreases the Retear Rate at 1 Year: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: To determine whether the addition of a bioinductive collagen implant (BCI) over a transosseous equivalent (TOE) repair of medium-to-large posterosuperior rotator cuff tears improves the healing rate determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 12-month follow-up. METHODS: A Level I randomized controlled trial was performed in 124 subjects with isolated, symptomatic, reparable, full-thickness, medium-to-large posterosuperior nonacute rotator cuff tears, with fatty infiltration ≤2. These were randomized to 2 groups in which an arthroscopic posterosuperior rotator cuff tear TOE repair was performed alone (Control group) or with BCI applied over the TOE repair (BCI group). The primary outcome was the retear rate (defined as Sugaya 4-5) determined by MRI at 12 months of follow-up. Secondary outcomes were characteristics of the tendon (Sugaya grade and thickness of the healed tendon) and clinical outcomes (pain levels, EQ-5D-5L, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, and Constant-Murley scores) at 12 months of follow-up. RESULTS: Of the 124 randomized patients, 122 (60 in the BCI group and 62 in the Control group) were available for MRI evaluation 12.2 ± 1.02 months after the intervention. There were no relevant differences in preoperative characteristics. Adding the BCI reduced the retear rate (8.3% [5/60] in the BCI group vs 25.8% [16/62] in the Control group, P = .010; relative risk of retear of 0.32 [95% confidence interval 0.13-0.83]). Sugaya grade was also better in the BCI group (P = .030). There were no differences between groups in the percentage of subjects who reached the MCID for CMS (76.7% vs 81.7%, P = .654) or American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (75% vs 80%, P = .829), in other clinical outcomes or in complication rates at 12.4 ± 0.73 (range 11.5-17) months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Augmentation with a BCI of a TOE repair in a medium-to-large posterosuperior rotator cuff tear reduces the retear rate at 12-month follow-up by two-thirds, yielding similar improvements in clinical outcomes and without increased complication rates. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I, randomized controlled trial.

Instability severity index score values below 7 do not predict recurrence after arthroscopic Bankart repair.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of the Instability Severity Index Score (ISIS) in predicting an increased recurrence risk after an arthroscopic Bankart repair. METHODS: Retrospective review of a cohort of patients operated in three different centres. The inclusion criteria (recurrent anterior instability [dislocation or subluxation] with or without hyperlaxity, arthroscopic Bankart repair) and the exclusion criteria (concomitant rotator cuff lesion, acute first-time dislocation, surgery after a previous anterior stabilization, surgery for an unstable shoulder without true dislocation or subluxation; multidirectional instability) were those used in the study that defined the ISIS score. The medical records and a telephone interview were used to identify the six variables that define the ISIS and identify recurrences. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-three shoulders met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of these, 140 subjects (22 females/118 males; mean age 35.5 ± 7.9) with 142 (89.0%) shoulders were available for follow-up after 5.3 (1.1) (range 3.1-7.4) years. There were 20 recurrences (14.1%). The mean (SD) preoperative ISIS was 1.8 (1.6) in the patients without recurrence and 1.8 (1.9) in the patients with recurrence (n.s.). In the 117 subjects with ISIS between 0 and 3 the recurrence rate was 12.8%; in the 25 with ISIS 4 to 6 the rate was 20% (n.s.). CONCLUSION: For subjects with anterior shoulder instability in which an arthroscopic Bankart repair is being considered, the use of the ISIS, when the values obtained are ≤ 6 was not useful to predict an increased recurrence risk in the midterm in this retrospectively evaluated case series. The efficacy of the ISIS score in defining a group of subjects with a preoperative increased risk of recurrence after an arthroscopic Bankart instability repair is limited in lower risk populations (with ISIS scores ≤ 6). LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Retrospective case series, Level IV.

Controversies in the Management of the First Time Shoulder Dislocation.

BACKGROUND: Traditionally, initial management of first anterior shoulder dislocations consists of reduction of the glenohumeral joint followed by a period of immobilization and subsequent physical therapy to recover shoulder range of motion and strength. This traditional approach in management is now controversial due to the high rate of recurrence. The aim of this paper is to review and discuss the literature about the global management of patients presenting with first-time traumatic anterior glenohumeral dislocation, analyzing the factors that affect shoulder instability after the first episode of dislocation. METHODS: Scientific publications about the management of first-time shoulder dislocations are reviewed. Pubmed is used for that and no limit in the year of publication are stablished. These papers and their conclusions are discussed. RESULTS: Younger patients, patient´s activities and the kind of injury are the most important factors related to the shoulder instability after a first time traumatic dislocation. Authors that recommend surgical treatment after the first episode of dislocation argue that the possibilities of recurrence are high and therefore surgery should be performed before its occurrence. Other authors, however, argue that surgical treatment is demanding, and keep in mind that complications, such as recurrence, stiffness and pain after surgery, are still present. CONCLUSION: Currently, there is still no consensus in the literature with regard to the management of first episode of shoulder dislocation. It is necessary to analyze carefully every individual case to manage them more or less aggressive to obtain the best result in our practice.

Pectoralis major transfer for subscapular deficiency: anatomical study of the relationship between the transferred muscle and the musculocutaneous nerve.

PURPOSE: Pectoralis major transfer is indicated for irreparable subscapularis tendon tears. One surgical option is transferring the sternal part of the pectoralis major to the humeral insertion of the subscapularis under the conjoined tendon of the coracobrachialis and biceps muscles. The purpose of this study is to define the anatomical relationship between the transferred tendon and the musculocutaneous nerve. METHODS: In 52 cadaveric fresh-frozen shoulders, the relevant structures were dissected and a pectoralis major transfer was performed. The relationship between the transferred tendon, the musculocutaneous nerve branches distally and the coracoid process proximally was examined. Measurements were taken at the conjoined tendon level. RESULTS: The distance between the coracoid process and the most proximal musculocutaneous nerve branch was 54.2 ± 33.2 mm. In 25 cases (48%), the transferred tendon passed freely between both structures. In 16 cases (31%), there was contact distally with the musculocutaneous nerve. In 11 cases (21%), there was contact both proximally with the coracoid process and distally with the musculocutaneous nerve, making a safe transfer impossible. CONCLUSIONS: When performing a pectoralis major transfer, it is essential to identify the musculocutaneous nerve and its branches. In some cases, a subcoracobicipital transfer may not be feasible and a more superficial transfer should be considered.