Anatomy of the terminal branch of the posterior circumflex humeral artery: relevance to the deltopectoral approach to the shoulder.

AIMS: Despite the expansion of arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder, the open deltopectoral approach is increasingly used for the fixation of fractures and arthroplasty of the shoulder. The anatomy of the terminal branches of the posterior circumflex humeral artery (PCHA) has not been described before. We undertook an investigation to correct this omission. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The vascular anatomy encountered during 100 consecutive elective deltopectoral approaches was recorded, and the common variants of the terminal branches of the PCHA are described. RESULTS: In total, 92 patients (92%) had a terminal branch that crossed the space between the deltoid and the proximal humerus and which was therefore vulnerable to tearing or avulsion during the insertion of the blade of a retractor during the deltopectoral approach to the shoulder. In 75 patients (75%) there was a single vessel, in 16 (16%) a double vessel and in one a triple vessel. CONCLUSION: The relationship of these vessels to the landmark of the tendon of the insertion of pectoralis major into the proximal humerus is described. Damage to these previously undocumented branches can cause persistent bleeding leading to prolonged surgery and post-operative haematoma and infection, as well as poor visualisation during the procedure. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:1395-8.

Arthroscopic capsular release for idiopathic frozen shoulder with intra-articular injection and a controlled manipulation.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this prospective study was to assess the immediate and long-term effectiveness of arthroscopic capsular release in a large cohort of patients with a precise and isolated diagnosis of stage II idiopathic frozen shoulder. METHODS: All patients underwent a preoperative evaluation. Patients with secondary frozen shoulder and those with concurrent pathology at arthroscopy were excluded. This left 136 patients with a stage II arthroscopically confirmed idiopathic frozen shoulder. At each postoperative attendance, a record was made of pain, function and range of motion. At 12 months, the Oxford shoulder score was calculated, and pain and range of motion were assessed. RESULTS: Fifty per cent achieved good pain relief within a week and eighty per cent within six weeks of arthroscopic capsular release. The mean preoperative visual analogue scale pain score was 6.6 and the mean postoperative score was 1.0. The mean time to achieving good pain relief was 16 days following surgery. No patient could sleep through the night prior to surgery while 90% reported having a complete night's sleep at a mean of 12 days after surgery. The mean postoperative Oxford shoulder score was 38/48 and the mean improvement was 19.2. CONCLUSIONS: This large series demonstrates that arthroscopic capsular release is a safe procedure, with rapid improvement in pain and a marked improvement in range of motion.

Anatomical variations of the deltoid artery: relevance to the deltopectoral approach to the shoulder.

Despite the expansion of arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder, the open deltopectoral approach to the shoulder is still frequently used, for example in fracture fixation and shoulder replacement. However, it is sometimes accompanied by unexpected bleeding. The cephalic vein is the landmark for the deltopectoral interval, yet its intimate relationship with the deltoid artery, and the anatomical variations in that structure, have not previously been documented. In this study the vascular anatomy encountered during 100 consecutive elective deltopectoral approaches was recorded and the common variants described. Two common variants of the deltoid artery were encountered. In type I (71%) it crosses the interval and tunnels into the deltoid muscle without encountering the cephalic vein. However, in type II (21%) it crosses the interval, reaches the cephalic vein and then runs down, medial to and behind it, giving off several small arterial branches that return back across the interval to the pectoralis major. Several minor variations were also seen (8%). These variations in the deltoid artery have not previously been described and may lead to confusion and unexpected bleeding during this standard anterior surgical approach to the shoulder.

Indications for reverse shoulder replacement: a systematic review.

The outcome of an anatomical shoulder replacement depends on an intact rotator cuff. In 1981 Grammont designed a novel large-head reverse shoulder replacement for patients with cuff deficiency. Such has been the success of this replacement that it has led to a rapid expansion of the indications. We performed a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the functional outcome of each indication for the reverse shoulder replacement. Secondary outcome measures of range of movement, pain scores and complication rates are also presented.

Surgeon-operated ultrasonography in a one-stop shoulder clinic.

INTRODUCTION: Nearly 1 in 40 of the population seeks medical advice related to a shoulder problem every year. The majority pertain to rotator cuff pathology. Prior to intervention in such patients it is imperative to define whether the tendons are intact or torn. Ultrasonography has become an essential adjunct to clinical assessment in diagnosing rotator cuff tears. This study was designed to investigate if a surgeon using a portable ultrasonography machine in a one-stop shoulder clinic could significantly reduce the time a patient waited from initial outpatient presentation to the end of the treatment episode (be it surgery, injection or conservative management). METHODS: A total of 77 patients were allocated to one of two groups: Group A, consisting of 37 patients who were assessed and had ultrasonography as outpatients, and Group B, consisting of 40 patients who were assessed and referred for departmental ultrasonography where appropriate. Three clear outcome groups were defined: those who required surgical repair, those who had irreparable tears and those who declined surgery. RESULTS: For all outcomes (surgery, irreparable tears and conservative treatment), the patients in Group A all completed their clinical episodes significantly quicker than those in Group B (p<0.02). As well as the time saving benefits, there was a substantial financial saving for Group A. By performing ultrasonography in the outpatients department, those patients avoided the requirement of departmental imaging (£120) and subsequent follow-up appointments (£73) to discuss results and management, resulting in a saving of nearly £200 per patient. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a portable ultrasonography machine by an orthopaedic surgeon can significantly reduce the time to treatment and the financial cost for patients with rotator cuff tears.

The Delta III reverse shoulder replacement for cuff tear arthropathy: a single-centre study of 50 consecutive procedures.

The combination of an irreparable tear of the rotator cuff and destructive arthritis of the shoulder joint may cause severe pain, disability and loss of independence in the aged. Standard anatomical shoulder replacements depend on a functioning rotator cuff, and hence may fail in the presence of tears in the cuff. Many designs of non-anatomical constrained or semi-constrained prostheses have been developed for cuff tear arthropathy, but have proved unsatisfactory and were abandoned. The DePuy Delta III reverse prosthesis, designed by Grammont, medialises and stabilises the centre of rotation of the shoulder joint and has shown early promise. This study evaluated the mid-term clinical and radiological results of this arthroplasty in a consecutive series of 50 shoulders in 43 patients with a painful pseudoparalysis due to an irreparable cuff tear and destructive arthritis, performed over a period of seven years by a single surgeon. A follow-up of 98% was achieved, with a mean duration of 39 months (8 to 81). The mean age of the patients at the time of surgery was 81 years (59 to 95). The female to male ratio was 5:1. During the seven years, six patients died of natural causes. The clinical outcome was assessed using the American Shoulder and Elbow score, the Oxford Shoulder Score and the Short-form 36 score. A radiological review was performed using the Sirveaux score for scapular notching. The mean American Shoulder and Elbow score was 19 (95% confidence interval (CI) 14 to 23) pre-operatively, and 65 (95% CI 48 to 82) (paired t-test, p < 0.001) at final follow-up. The mean Oxford score was 44 (95% CI 40 to 51) pre-operatively and 23 (95% CI 18 to 28) (paired t-test, p < 0.001) at final follow-up. The mean maximum elevation improved from 55° pre-operatively to 105° at final follow-up. There were seven complications during the whole series, although only four patients required further surgery.

Clinical and radiological follow-up of the Aequalis third-generation cemented total shoulder replacement: a minimum ten-year study.

There are no long-term published results on the survival of a third-generation cemented total shoulder replacement. We describe a clinical and radiological study of the Aequalis total shoulder replacement for a minimum of ten years. Between September 1996 and May 1998, 39 consecutive patients underwent a primary cemented total shoulder replacement using this prosthesis. Data were collected prospectively on all patients each year, for a minimum of ten years, or until death or failure of the prosthesis. At a follow-up of at least ten years, 12 patients had died with the prosthesis intact and two had emigrated, leaving 25 available for clinical review. Of these, 13 had rheumatoid arthritis and 12 osteoarthritis. One refused radiological review leaving 24 with fresh radiographs. Survivorship at ten years was 100% for the humeral component and 92% for the glenoid component. The incidence of lucent lines was low. No humeral component was thought to be at risk and only two glenoid components. The osteoarthritic group gained a mean 65 degrees in forward flexion and their Constant score improved by a mean 41.4 points (13 to 55). The rheumatoid group gained a mean of 24 degrees in flexion and their Constant score improved by 29.4 points. This difference may have been due to failure of the rotator cuff in 75% of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Thus a third-generation total shoulder replacement gives an excellent result in patients with osteoarthritis and an intact rotator cuff. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a 75% risk of failure of the rotator cuff at ten years.

The detection of full thickness rotator cuff tears using ultrasound.

We have examined the accuracy of 143 consecutive ultrasound scans of patients who subsequently underwent shoulder arthroscopy for rotator-cuff disease. All the scans and subsequent surgery were performed by an orthopaedic surgeon using a portable ultrasound scanner in a one-stop clinic. There were 78 full thickness tears which we confirmed by surgery or MRI. Three moderate-size tears were assessed as partial-thickness at ultrasound scan (false negative) giving a sensitivity of 96.2%. One partially torn and two intact cuffs were over-diagnosed as small full-thickness tears by ultrasound scan (false positive) giving a specificity of 95.4%. This gave a positive predictive value of 96.2% and a negative predictive value of 95.4%. Estimation of tear size was more accurate for large and massive tears at 96.5% than for moderate (88.8%) and small tears (91.6%). These results are equivalent to those obtained by several studies undertaken by experienced radiologists. We conclude that ultrasound imaging of the shoulder performed by a sufficiently-trained orthopaedic surgeon is a reliable time-saving practice to identify rotator-cuff integrity.

Primary glenoid dysplasia. A review of 12 patients.

We reviewed 12 patients with primary glenoid dysplasia. Ten were assessed clinically and two from case notes and radiographs. We identified two groups according to the age at onset of symptoms. The first (seven patients) consisted of boys and younger men, all of whom developed symptoms before the age of 40 years. All four children were free from pain, whereas the three adults in this group had varying degrees of this. Four patients had symptoms of instability. The second group consisted of older men (five patients) all of whom had noted the onset of symptoms, in the form of pain and stiffness, after the age of 40 years. All five had radiological evidence of osteoarthritis. Although the four children in our study had minimal symptoms, all eight adults had ongoing shoulder pain and dysfunction, despite a specific rehabilitation programme. Four patients required surgery; one had posterior stabilisation for instability and three arthroplasties of the shoulder for osteoarthritis.

Open surgical release for frozen shoulder: surgical findings and results of the release.

Over a 5-year period, 75 shoulders that met Codman's criteria for primary frozen shoulder were treated. Nine patients improved with nonoperative treatment, and the remaining 66 patients underwent manipulation under anesthesia. The shoulders in 41 patients successfully released with manipulation. Those in 25 failed to release with manipulation, and therefore, these patients underwent open surgical release of the contracted shoulder. We reviewed the cases of all of the surgically treated patients at 19.52 months' average follow-up, using the history and clinical examination technique recommended by the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons. The surgical findings in this group of 25 patients showed a consistent alteration in the rotator interval and coracohumeral ligament. The rotator interval was obliterated, and the coracohumeral ligament was transformed into a tough contracted band. The histology of this contracture was examined in 12 patients and consisted of a dense matrix of type III collagen populated with fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. The contracted coracohumeral ligament was excised with immediate release of the external rotation deficit. Pain scores on visual analogue scale improved from 8.28 to 2.0. The average score for function, with a maximum score of 30, improved from 6.08 to 18.9. Twenty patients had excellent or good results, and 3 had fair results. The shoulders of 2 patients failed to improve: 1 was an insulin-dependent patient with diabetes, and 1 had severe bilateral Dupuytren's contractures. The results in the patients without diabetes were very satisfactory, with visual analogue scale scores of pain decreasing from 8.4 to 1.1, function increasing from 6.4 to 20.1, flexion increasing from an average of 96 degrees to an average of 131 degrees, and external rotation increasing from an average of 10.0 degrees to an average of 46.7 degrees. Surgical release of frozen shoulder is a useful option in those few patients with severe disease whose shoulders fail to release with manipulation under anesthesia. Caution should be used in insulin-dependent patients with diabetes.

The association between frozen shoulder and Dupuytren's disease.

Fifty-eight patients with the diagnosis of primary frozen shoulder were independently examined by 3 surgeons for evidence of Dupuytren's disease. The disease was found in 52% (30/58) of the patients reviewed. These figures were compared with previously reported figures for a population of similar age. This showed that Dupuytren's disease is 8.27 (95% CI, 6.25-11.2) times more common in patients with frozen shoulder than in the general population; the difference between the two was highly statistically significant (P < .001, chi(2) test). We discuss the literature on the association between frozen shoulder and Dupuytren's disease and the implications of such a high proportion of patients sharing these two conditions.

Expression of growth factors, cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases in frozen shoulder.

Frozen shoulder is a chronic fibrosing condition of the capsule of the joint. The predominant cells involved are fibroblasts and myofibroblasts which lay down a dense matrix of type-I and type-III collagen within the capsule. This subsequently contracts leading to the typical features of pain and stiffness. Cytokines and growth factors regulate the growth and function of the fibroblasts of connective tissue and remodelling of the matrix is controlled by the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors. Our aim was to determine whether there was an abnormal expression or secretion of cytokines, growth factors and MMPs in tissue samples from 14 patients with frozen shoulder using the reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR) technique and to compare the findings with those in tissue from four normal control shoulders and from five patients with Dupuytren's contracture. Tissue from frozen shoulders demonstrated the presence of mRNA for a large number of cytokines and growth factors although the frequency was only slightly higher than in the control tissue. The frequency for a positive signal for the proinflammatory cytokines Il-beta and TNF-alpha and TNF-beta, was not as great as in the Dupuytren's tissue. The presence of mRNA for fibrogenic growth factors was, however, more similar to that obtained in the control and Dupuytren's tissue. This correlated with the histological findings which in most specimens showed a dense fibrous tissue response with few cells other than mature fibroblasts and with very little evidence of any active inflammatory cell process. Positive expressions of the mRNA for the MMPs were also increased, together with their natural inhibitor TIMP. The notable exception compared with control and Dupuytren's tissue was the absence of MMP-14, which is known to be a membrane-type MMP required for the activation of MMP-2 (gelatinase A). Understanding the control mechanisms which play a part in the pathogenesis of frozen shoulder may lead to the development of new regimes of treatment for this common, protracted and painful chronic fibrosing condition.

Rotator-cuff tear of the hip.

We describe an apparently unreported finding during hip operations: a tear at the insertion of gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. This defect may well be known to many surgeons with experience of hip replacement and hemiarthroplasty for fractures of the neck of the femur, but a Medline search has failed to find a previous description. We made a prospective study of 50 consecutive patients with fractures of the neck of the femur to quantify the incidence of this condition: 11 (22%) had such a tear.

Synovial osteochondromatosis: an unusual cause for subacromial impingement.

Impingement syndrome is usually caused by encroachment on the rotator cuff of the acromion, coracoacromial ligament, acromioclavicular joint or coracoid process. Bursal causes of impingement are rare but include rheumatoid thickening, and thickening from previous and iatrogenic causes such as sutures, pins, or wires left from previous surgery. We report a case of synovial osteochondromatosis presenting as chronic impingement syndrome. Synovial osteochondromatosis may be difficult to differentiate from chronic calcific tendinitis, but we describe a radiological sign and its anatomical basis that can differentiate between the two. If densities are seen on plain radiographs distal to the greater tuberosity, then loose bodies within the subacromial bursa should be considered.

The pathology of frozen shoulder. A Dupuytren-like disease.

Of 935 consecutive patients referred with shoulder pain, 50 fitted the criteria for primary frozen shoulder. Twelve patients who failed to improve after conservative treatment and manipulation had excision of the coracohumeral ligament and the rotator interval of the capsule. The specimens were examined histologically, using special stains for collagen. Immunocytochemistry was performed with monoclonal antibodies against leucocyte common antigen (LCA, CD45) and a macrophage/synovial antigen (PGMI, CD68) to assess the inflammatory component, and vimentin and smooth-muscle actin to evaluate fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. Our histological and immunocytochemical findings show that the pathological process is active fibroblastic proliferation, accompanied by some transformation to a smooth muscle phenotype (myofibroblasts). The fibroblasts lay down collagen which appears as a thick nodular band or fleshy mass. These appearances are very similar to those in Dupuytren's disease of the hand, with no inflammation and no synovial involvement. The contracture acts as a check-rein against external rotation, causing loss of both active and passive movement.