Weber osteotomy for large Hill-Sachs Defects: clinical and CT assessments.

BACKGROUND: The Weber derotation osteotomy is an uncommon procedure that typically is reserved for patients with engaging Hill-Sachs defects who have had other surgical treatments for shoulder instability fail. It is unknown whether the desired humeral derotation actually is achieved with the Weber osteotomy. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: The purposes of this study were to answer the following questions: (1) What are the complication (including redislocation) and reoperation rates of the Weber osteotomy? (2) What are the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) and functional (ROM in internal rotation, self care) results? (3) What fraction of the patients had humeral derotation within 10° of the desired rotation? METHODS: A chart review of 19 Weber osteotomies and clinical assessment of 10 Weber osteotomies were performed by independent clinicians. The chart review, at a mean followup of 51 months (range, 13-148 months), focused on the complication rate and the frequency of redislocation. The clinical and CT assessments, at a mean followup of 54 months (range, 26-151 months), focused on ASES scores, ability of patients to perform self care with the affected arm, and CT scans to measure change in humeral retroversion. RESULTS: There were 25 complications and nine reoperations in 17 patients (19 shoulders), including pain (six patients, of whom one had complex regional pain syndrome), hematoma, infection, nonunion, delayed union, reoperations related to hardware and other noninstability-related causes (five patients), and internal rotation deficit. Redislocation occurred in one patient, who underwent repeat surgery, and subjective instability developed in two others. The mean ASES score was 78 points (of 100 points); six of the 10 patients (11 procedures) evaluated in person found it difficult or were unable to wash their backs with the affected arm. Humeral derotation varied from 7° to 77°; only three of the nine patients for whom CT scans were available had derotation within 10° of the desired rotation. CONCLUSIONS: Complication rates with the Weber osteotomy were much higher than previously reported. Because seven of 17 patients were lost to followup, the redislocation rate may be higher than we observed here. Given the unpredictable variability in humeral derotation achieved with a Weber osteotomy, an improved surgical technique is critical to avoid osteoarthritis and loss of internal rotation associated with overrotation.

Extra-articular arthroscopic lateral elbow release.

We describe a unique extra-articular approach for arthroscopic lateral release for lateral epicondylitis. An arthroscopic extra-articular approach allows better direct visualization of diseased structures with a 30 degrees arthroscope and only requires a small hole in the joint capsule. The camera is placed into the joint through the middle anterolateral portal. The camera is then pulled back through a small rent in the capsule over the lateral radiocapitellar joint to provide an extra-articular view of the diseased structures. The shaver is then placed 1.5 cm proximal to the camera in a proximal anterolateral portal. Debridement of the common extensor fiber tendinosis and decortication of the lateral epicondyle are performed under direct visualization. This is different from the intra-articular technique, where visualization with the 30 degrees arthroscope is more difficult despite a large capsulotomy to aid visualization. The advantage of this extra-articular technique is 2-fold. First, the extra-articular viewing portal allows direct visualization of diseased structures, improving accuracy for debridement compared with an intra-articular viewing portal. The intra-articular technique uses the 30 degrees arthroscope to work around a corner after a large capsulectomy. The second advantage of the extra-articular viewing portal is that it only requires a small capsulotomy. The small capsulotomy decreases the risk of transient radial nerve palsy associated with a capsulectomy. The small capsulotomy also results in less fluid extravasation into the soft tissues. Less fluid extravasation decreases swelling and the risk of compartment syndrome.