Traumatic glenohumeral bone defects and their relationship to failure of arthroscopic Bankart repairs: significance of the inverted-pear glenoid and the humeral engaging Hill-Sachs lesion.

PURPOSE: Our goal was to analyze the results of 194 consecutive arthroscopic Bankart repairs (performed by 2 surgeons with an identical suture anchor technique) in order to identify specific factors related to recurrence of instability. TYPE OF STUDY: Case series. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 194 consecutive arthroscopic Bankart repairs by suture anchor technique performed for traumatic anterior-inferior instability. The average follow-up was 27 months (range, 14 to 79 months). There were 101 contact athletes (96 South African rugby players and 5 American football players). We identified significant bone defects on either the humerus or the glenoid as (1) "inverted-pear" glenoid, in which the normally pear-shaped glenoid had lost enough anterior-inferior bone to assume the shape of an inverted pear; or (2) "engaging" Hill-Sachs lesion of the humerus, in which the orientation of the Hill-Sachs lesion was such that it engaged the anterior glenoid with the shoulder in abduction and external rotation. RESULTS: There were 21 recurrent dislocations and subluxations (14 dislocations, 7 subluxations). Of those 21 shoulders with recurrent instability, 14 had significant bone defects (3 engaging Hill-Sachs and 11 inverted-pear Bankart lesions). For the group of patients without significant bone defects (173 shoulders), there were 7 recurrences (4% recurrence rate). For the group with significant bone defects (21 patients), there were 14 recurrences (67% recurrence rate). For contact athletes without significant bone defects, there was a 6.5% recurrence rate, whereas for contact athletes with significant bone defects, there was an 89% recurrence rate. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Arthroscopic Bankart repairs give results equal to open Bankart repairs if there are no significant structural bone deficits (engaging Hill-Sachs or inverted-pear Bankart lesions). (2) Patients with significant bone deficits as defined in this study are not candidates for arthroscopic Bankart repair. (3) Contact athletes without structural bone deficits may be treated by arthroscopic Bankart repair. However, contact athletes with bone deficiency require open surgery aimed at their specific anatomic deficiencies. (4) For patients with significant glenoid bone loss, the surgeon should consider reconstruction by means of the Latarjet procedure, using a large coracoid bone graft.

Technical note: rotator cuff tear. Intraoperative electrical stimulation of the suprascapular nerve.

We describe a method of placing an electrically conductive catheter onto the suprascapular nerve for intraoperative electrical stimulation of the nerve. This causes contractions of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles that indicate rotator cuff viability, suitability for repair, direction in which the fibers contract, and the tear pattern.

Arthroscopic Bankart repair: some aspects of suture and knot management.

Like most surgical procedures, the results of arthroscopic Bankart repair can probably be improved by meticulous attention to surgical detail. Some of these aspects include the orientation of the suture holes in bone anchors to facilitate smooth gliding of the sutures. Using the outside strand as the post strand optimises soft tissue approximation to the glenoid especially when using a ratchet type of slip knot.

A new technique of continuous interscalene nerve block.

PURPOSE: To describes a technique of indwelling interscalene catheter placement and to evaluate its complications. METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients undergoing major shoulder surgery received interscalene nerve block (ISNB) and were studied in three groups. Group 1 ISNB using Winnie's technique; group 2 by Winnie's technique with nerve stimulator and group 3 by epidural needle and catheter technique with nerve stimulator. All patients received 20 mL bupivacaine 0.5% and group 3 patients received an additional bupivacaine 0.25% infusion. Diaphragmatic movements were measured sonographically on emergence from anesthesia. Complications were noted. A visual analogue scale (0-10) was used to assess pain four hours postoperatively. RESULTS: Mean ipsilateral diaphragmatic movements were 4+/-8, 14+/-11 and 18+/-8 mm (mean +/- SD) in groups 1, 2 and 3 respectively. This was less than contralateral movements in all three groups (P < 0.05). None of the patients in groups 2 and 3 reported postoperative pain. The block failed in 10% of group 1 patients. Complete ipsilateral phrenic nerve block occurred in 85% of the patients in group 1, 35% of group 2 and 20% of group 3 (P < 0.05). Ipsilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis occurred in 20% of the patients in group 1, 5% of group 2 and in none of the patients in group 3 (P < 0.05). Horner's syndrome was noted in group 1 (30%), group 2 (12%) but not in group 3. None of the catheters in group 3 patients dislodged after an average use of 2.8+/-2.1 days. CONCLUSIONS: Indwelling catheter placement into the brachial plexus sheath as described in this communication was effective and associated with few complications.

Nicky's knot--a new slip knot for arthroscopic surgery.

Slip knots are commonly used for arthroscopic knot tying techniques. Nicky's knot is a "ratchet" knot. It is a one-way slip knot. It has excellent initial holding capacity, maintaining tension on soft tissue while additional hitches are being tied.