Internal impingement of the shoulder in overhead athletes: Retrospective multicentre study in 135 arthroscopically-treated patients.

BACKGROUND: Internal impingement of the shoulder (IIS) is the leading cause of chronic shoulder pain in overhead throwing athletes. No consensus exists about which techniques are optimal when surgery is in order. The available studies are limited by small sample sizes and short follow-ups. The primary objective of this study was to assess return-to-sports (RtS) outcomes after surgical treatment for IIS. A favourable RtS outcome (RtS+) was defined as returning to the previous sport at the same or a higher level. HYPOTHESIS: The main hypothesis was that surgical treatment resulted in an RtS+ outcome. The secondary hypothesis was that epidemiological factors, pre- and intra-operative anatomical factors, and specific surgical procedures were associated with higher RtS+ rates. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective multicentre design was used. We included 135 patients with IIS managed arthroscopically using any of the following procedures: anterior capsulorrhaphy, posterior capsulotomy/capsulectomy, postero-superior labral debridement, posterior glenoidplasty, and rotator cuff tear debridement or repair. Follow-up was at least 1 year. The patients were divided into two groups based on whether they had an RtS+ outcome as defined above or an RtS- outcome defined as a return to the previous sport at a lower level, a switch to another sport, or an inability to engage in any sport. The Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic (KJOC) and Constant's score were used to evaluate subjective and objective shoulder function. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 7.9 years. Of the 135 patients, 120 (90%) returned to sports after surgery including 70 (52%) to the previous sport at the same level (RtS+ outcome). By univariate analysis, the following factors were associated with an RtS+ outcome: male sex, rotator cuff tear documented intra-operatively, absence of a greater tuberosity cyst on pre-operative imaging studies, and cuff tear debridement. Anterior capsulorrhaphy was associated with worse post-operative pain. DISCUSSION: The RtS+ rate in this study differed from previously reported values, due to differences in the sports practiced by the patients and to considerable variability in the surgical techniques used. The positive association between presence of a rotator cuff tear and an RtS+ outcome is at variance with most of the previously published data. Some of the apparent discrepancies between our results and those from other countries may be ascribable to differences in the most popular sports. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Internal impingement of the shoulder: An international survey of 261 orthopaedic surgeons.

BACKGROUND: Internal impingement of the shoulder (IIS) is a specific disorder of young overhead-throwing athletes that was first described in 1991. The many non-operative and surgical treatments suggested to date have produced mixed outcomes. The objective of this study was to compare the practices of surgeons in France versus other countries regarding the diagnosis and treatment of IIS. HYPOTHESIS: Diagnostic and therapeutic practices regarding IIS differ between surgeons in France and in other countries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A 21-item questionnaire in French and English was emailed to the 1300 members of the French Arthroscopy Society and to surgeons from countries other than France. The questionnaire collected information on knowledge about IIS (2 items), the frequency of IIS in clinical practice (2 items), the diagnosis of IIS (6 items), the non-operative and surgical treatment of IIS (3 and 5 items, respectively), and return-to-sports rates after treatment for IIS (3 items). RESULTS: The completed questionnaire was sent back by 261 surgeons, 206 in France and 55 in other countries, including 42 in Japan. Among the respondents, 90% knew about IIS. Experience with IIS in terms of number of patients seen or surgical treatments performed was greater in the international group (45% vs. 19% in France, p<0.001). Posterior shoulder pain in the arm cocking position was the most widely recognised symptom (99% in France, 74% internationally, p<0.001), followed by excessive external rotation during arm abduction (55% vs. 65%, p=0.23). The most commonly sought lesions were those of the postero-superior labrum and articular surface of the rotator cuff. Rotator cuff debridement was among the surgical options according to most respondents (74% vs. 70%). In contrast, postero-superior glenoidplasty was cited almost only by surgeons in France (67% vs. 4%, p<0.001). The proportion of patients who are able to return to sports was estimated at 50% to 75% by most respondents. DISCUSSION: Most respondents had theoretical knowledge about IIS, but surgery was rarely performed in France. Only very few athletes in France play baseball, which is responsible for most sports injuries of the shoulder seen in Japan. This fact, combined with differences in the lesions or even the diagnoses, may have contributed to the differences in the responses to the survey items between the French and international groups.

Is posterosuperior contact a normal occurrence in the shoulder?

Posterosuperior (or internal) impingement at the shoulder is defined as contact between the underside of the supraspinatus or infraspinatus tendons with the posterosuperior labrum during extreme external rotation and abduction. In many cases, this contact damages the tendon and causes mirror posterosuperior labrum deterioration. The primary aim of this study was to define whether this contact occurs normally in patients who do not have a rotator cuff tear. METHODS: We evaluated 100 shoulders in 100 patients. All patients were operated on in the beach chair position. After introducing the scope through the posterior portal, contact between the articular side of the rotator cuff and the posterosuperior labrum was noted as being present or absent when the arm was cocked in 90° abduction and 90° external rotation (90/90) then the arm was cocked in 140° abduction and maximum external rotation (140/Max). RESULTS: Contact was observed in 69% of patients in the 90/90 cocked position and in 94% of patients in the 140/Max cocked position. We found a correlation between the presence of rotator cuff and/or labrum lesions and the patient regularly performing arm-cock movements (p=0.035). DISCUSSION: Contact between the underside of the supraspinatus tendon and the posterosuperior labrum occurs physiologically. Repetitive arm-cock movements may contribute to macroscopic lesions of the underside of the rotator cuff and posterosuperior labrum. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV, basic science study.

Magnetic resonance arthrography is insufficiently accurate to diagnose biceps lesions prior to rotator cuff repair.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy between magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) and arthroscopic examination for the assessment of pathologies of the long head of the biceps (LHB) prior to rotator cuff (RC) repair. The hypothesis was that MRA is suitable to identify biceps instabilities, due to improved visibility of the biceps pulley. METHODS: Sixty-six patients aged 58.5 ± 17.6 (range, 46-71) scheduled to have RC repair between 2016 and 2017 were prospectively enrolled. MRA images of the LHB were interpreted by one radiologist and two surgeons, then compared to arthroscopic findings. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated by comparing MRA axial readings to arthroscopic assessment in the neutral position (static instability), MRA sagittal readings to arthroscopic assessment in external rotation (dynamic s instability), MRA coronal and axial readings to arthroscopic assessment in the neutral position (tendinopathy). RESULTS: Among the three observers, the radiologist obtained the highest sensitivity and specificity for MRA, which were respectively: (1) for static instability, 62% (C.I. 35-85) and 77% (C.I. 63-88); (2) for dynamic instability, 50% (C.I. 29-71) and 62% (C.I. 46-77), and (3) for tendinopathy, 49% (C.I. 36-62) and 100% (C.I. 3-100). CONCLUSIONS: MRA is not suitable for the diagnosis of LHB lesions prior to arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic study, Level I.