Risk factors for postoperative pain in the first three weeks after arthroscopic or open shoulder surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Shoulder surgery is a painful procedure. Adequate postoperative pain control increases patient satisfaction. The objectives of this study were to investigate postoperative pain development in shoulder surgery and to assess risk factors for high postoperative pain. HYPOTHESIS: Patients who undergo rotator cuff repair are more painful than patients who undergo different kinds of shoulder surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Four hundred and sixty five patients who underwent shoulder surgery were included in this retrospective cohort study. A linear mixed model analysis was used to compare NRS (Numeric Rating Scale) for pain between different kinds of shoulder surgery in the first three weeks postoperatively. To assess risk factors for high postoperative pain odds ratios were calculated. RESULTS: Pain development in the first 3 weeks differed between procedures with rotator cuff repair being the most painful procedure. Risk factors for high postoperative pain were female sex and subacromial decompression with distal clavicle resection. DISCUSSION: Patients who undergo rotator cuff repair are indeed more painful than patients who undergo different kinds of shoulder surgery. With identifying these differences in pain development and the risk factors for high postoperative pain after shoulder surgery, we can optimize postoperative pain treatment. However, further research is needed to support these results. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV, retrospective cohort study.

Ultrasound guided Needling vs Radial Shockwave Therapy in calcific tendinitis of the shoulder: A prospective randomized trial.

PURPOSE: Ultrasound Needling(UN) and Radial Shockwave(RSWT) aim to dissolve deposits in Shoulder Calcific tendinitis. METHODS: RCT in 25 patients to compare short term effectiveness. Outcome measures were pain and functional outcome at 6 weeks and 1 year and decrease of deposits after 6 weeks. RESULTS: UN decreased deposit more than RSWT(P = 0.029). After 6 weeks, Constant, NRS and Oxford improved more in UN. After 1 year, there was no significant difference in NRS(p = 0.45) or Oxford(p = 0.32). CONCLUSION: Compared to RSWT, UN resulted in lower pain and faster resorption of calcifications after 6 weeks. No significant differences were found after 1 year.

Epinephrine Diluted Saline-Irrigation Fluid in Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery: A Significant Improvement of Clarity of Visual Field and Shortening of Total Operation Time. A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: To determine the influence of epinephrine saline irrigation in therapeutic shoulder arthroscopy procedures on the clarity of arthroscopic view. Three subgroups were analyzed; (1) Bankart/SLAP repairs; (2) rotator cuff repairs; and (3) subacromial procedures without rotator cuff repair. Secondary objectives were to evaluate the influence on total operating time and potential cardiovascular adverse reactions. METHODS: The design of the study was a prospective, randomized, double-blind controlled trial. A total of 101 patients were included. Pressure pump-controlled regular saline irrigation fluid was used in the control group. In the epinephrine group, epinephrine (0.33 mg/L) was added to the saline-irrigation fluid. Visual clarity was rated by a Numeric Rating Scale. Total operation time, total use of irrigation fluid, increases in pump pressure, heart rate, blood pressure, and electrocautery use were registered. RESULTS: Visual clarity (P = .002) was significantly better and total operating time (P = .008) significantly shorter in the epinephrine group. Total irrigation fluid used was significantly lower in the epinephrine group (P = .001). The greatest effect on visual clarity and shortening of operation time up to 15 minutes was seen in Bankart and SLAP repairs. No significant effect of the addition of epinephrine on heart rate and blood pressure was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of epinephrine (0.33 mg/L) to irrigation fluid significantly improves visual clarity in most common types of therapeutic shoulder arthroscopy. A significant reduction in total operating time and use of irrigation fluid was observed. The greatest effect on visual clarity and shortening of operation time was seen in Bankart and SLAP group. Therefore, one of our initial hypotheses that the greatest effect would be observed in subacromial and rotator cuff repair procedures was not supported by the data presented. No cardiovascular adverse reactions were seen. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 1, Randomized controlled trial.

[Shoulder surgery using only regional anaesthesia]. / Schouderoperaties onder locoregionale anesthesie.

Effective intra-operative anaesthesia and peri-operative analgesia are important aspects of patient care in orthopaedic surgery. The interscalene regional anaesthetic block technique, performed with the patient lying in a lateral decubitus position, is new for arthroscopic shoulder surgery conducted in the Netherlands. The combination of the interscalene block (without general anaesthesia) and the lateral decubitus position results in better peri-operative conditions for the patient. Better analgesia, increased patient satisfaction and fewer complications in comparison to general anaesthesia have been reported for these types of surgery.

Quantification of a glenoid defect with three-dimensional computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging: a cadaveric study.

Bone loss of the glenoid is a common finding in anterior glenohumeral instability. Several methods to measure the size of a glenoid defect have been described but have not been validated. In this study, 14 cadaver glenoids with a randomly created anteroinferior glenoid defect were used for validation of the so-called circle method. Measurements were done by 2 researchers on digital photographs, 3-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) scans, and magnetic resonance images (MRI). The correlation coefficient (r(2)) for comparing measurements from the digital photographs with the CT scans was 0.97 for researcher 1 and 0.90 for researcher 2. When they compared digital images with MRI, the r(2) was 0.93 for researcher 1 and 0.92 for researcher 2. No statistical differences were found between the 2 researchers. The circle method is a simple method for preoperative quantification of a glenoid defect. Measurements can be done with 3D CT scans as well as MRI.

Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with double-row fixation.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of rotator cuff tears has evolved from open surgical repairs to complete arthroscopic repairs over the past two decades. In this study, we reviewed the results of arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs with the so-called double-row, or footprint, reconstruction technique. METHODS: Between 1998 and 2002, 264 patients underwent an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with double-row fixation. The average age at the time of the operation was fifty-nine years. Two hundred and thirty-eight patients (242 shoulders) were available for follow-up; 210 were evaluated with a full clinical examination and thirty-two, with a questionnaire only. Preoperative and postoperative examinations consisted of determination of a Constant score and a visual analogue score for pain as well as a full physical examination of the shoulder. Ultrasonography was done at a minimum of twelve months postoperatively to assess the integrity of the cuff. RESULTS: The average score for pain improved from 7.4 points (range, 3 to 10 points) preoperatively to 0.7 point (range, 0 to 3 points) postoperatively. The subjective outcome was excellent or good in 220 (90.9%) of the 242 shoulders. The average increase in the Constant score after the operation was 25.4 points (range, 0 to 57 points). Ultrasonography demonstrated an intact rotator cuff in 83% (174) of the shoulders overall, 47% (fifteen) of the thirty-two with a repair of a massive tear, 78% (thirty-two) of the forty-one with a repair of a large tear, 93% (113) of the 121 with a repair of a medium tear, and 88% (fourteen) of the sixteen with a repair of a small tear. Strength and active elevation increased significantly more in the group with an intact repair at the time of follow-up than in the group with a failed repair; however, there was no difference in the pain scores. CONCLUSIONS: Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with double-row fixation can achieve a high percentage of excellent subjective and objective results. Integrity of the repair can be expected in the majority of shoulders treated for a large, medium, or small tear, and the strength and range of motion provided by an intact repair are significantly better than those following a failed repair. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV.

A biomechanical comparison of single and double-row fixation in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

BACKGROUND: The optimal method for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair is not yet known. The hypothesis of the present study was that a double-row repair would demonstrate superior static and cyclic mechanical behavior when compared with a single-row repair. The specific aims were to measure gap formation at the bone-tendon interface under static creep loading and the ultimate strength and mode of failure of both methods of repair under cyclic loading. METHODS: A standardized tear of the supraspinatus tendon was created in sixteen fresh cadaveric shoulders. Arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs were performed with use of either a double-row technique (eight specimens) or a single-row technique (eight specimens) with nonabsorbable sutures that were double-loaded on a titanium suture anchor. The repairs were loaded statically for one hour, and the gap formation was measured. Cyclic loading to failure was then performed. RESULTS: Gap formation during static loading was significantly greater in the single-row group than in the double-row group (mean and standard deviation, 5.0 +/- 1.2 mm compared with 3.8 +/- 1.4 mm; p < 0.05). Under cyclic loading, the double-row repairs failed at a mean of 320 +/- 96.9 N whereas the single-row repairs failed at a mean of 224 +/- 147.9 N (p = 0.058). Three single-row repairs and three double-row repairs failed as a result of suture cut-through. Four single-row repairs and one double-row repair failed as a result of anchor or suture failure. The remaining five repairs did not fail, and a midsubstance tear of the tendon occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Although more technically demanding, the double-row technique demonstrates superior resistance to gap formation under static loading as compared with the single-row technique. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A double-row reconstruction of the supraspinatus tendon insertion may provide a more reliable construct than a single-row repair and could be used as an alternative to open reconstruction for the treatment of isolated tears.