Minimum 10-Year Outcomes of Primary Arthroscopic Transosseous-Equivalent Double-Row Rotator Cuff Repair.

BACKGROUND: Modern rotator cuff repair techniques demonstrate favorable early and midterm outcomes, but long-term results have yet to be reported. PURPOSE: To determine 10-year outcomes and survivorship after arthroscopic double-row transosseous-equivalent (TOE) rotator cuff repair. STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence 4. METHODS: The primary TOE rotator cuff repair procedure was performed using either a knotted suture bridge or knotless tape bridge technique on a series of patients with 1 to 3 tendon full-thickness rotator cuff tears involving the supraspinatus. Only patients who were 10 years postsurgery were included. Patient-reported outcomes were collected pre- and postoperatively, including American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE), shortened version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH), and satisfaction. Kaplan-Meier survivorship analysis was performed. Failure was defined as progression to revision surgery. RESULTS: A total of 91 shoulders (56 men, 31 women) were included between October 2005 and December 2009. Mean follow-up was 11.5 years (range, 10.0-14.1 years). Of 91 shoulders, 5 (5.5%) failed and required revision surgery. Patient-reported outcomes for patients who survived were known for 80% (69/86). Outcomes scores at final follow-up were as follows: ASES, 93.1 ± 10.8; SANE, 87.5 ± 14.2; QuickDASH, 11.1 ± 13.5; and SF-12 physical component summary (PCS), 49.2 ± 10.1. There were statistically significant declines in ASES, SANE, and SF-12 PCS from the 5-year to 10-year follow-up, but none of these changes met the minimally clinically important difference threshold. Median satisfaction at final follow-up was 10 (range, 3-10). From this cohort, Kaplan-Meier survivorship demonstrated a 94.4% survival rate at a minimum of 10 years. CONCLUSION: Arthroscopic TOE rotator cuff repair demonstrates high patient satisfaction and low revision rates at a mean follow-up of 11.5 years. This information may be directly utilized in surgical decision making and preoperative patient counseling regarding the longevity of modern double-row rotator cuff repair.

Patient-reported drug and latex allergies negatively affect outcomes after total and reverse shoulder arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Patient-reported allergies (PRAs) have been identified as a risk factor for worse outcomes and less satisfaction in patients undergoing knee and hip arthroplasty. Similar associations have not been elucidated in shoulder arthroplasty patients; however, previous research is sparse. The purpose of this study was to assess the outcomes following shoulder arthroplasty surgery with respect to patient-reported drug allergies. It was hypothesized that a higher number of allergies would be associated with worse patient-reported outcomes (PROs) following shoulder arthroplasty surgery. METHODS: Consecutive patients aged 18-89 years at the time of surgery who underwent primary shoulder arthroplasty between October 2005 and March 2018 performed by a single surgeon and had a minimum follow-up period of 1 year were reviewed. PRO scores, including the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Single Assessment Numerical Evaluation score, QuickDASH (short version of Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire) score, and 12-Item Short Form Health Survey Physical Component Summary and Mental Component Summary scores, as well as patient satisfaction, were collected preoperatively and postoperatively. Early clinical failures were reported. Subjects were categorized into a 3-level factor based on the number of PRAs (0, 1, or ≥2), and bivariate comparisons of mean postoperative PRO scores were performed using Kruskal-Wallis analyses. Additionally, multivariate regression was performed to assess the effect of PRAs on PROs while controlling for age, sex, arthroplasty type, baseline PRO scores, and Charlson Comorbidity Index. RESULTS: Overall, 411 shoulders were included in the final study population (367 patients, 44 of whom were treated bilaterally). The population was predominately male patients (n = 265, 64.5%), and the median age at the time of surgery was 66.5 years (first quartile-third quartile, 61.3-71.4 years). Of the patients, 253 (61.6%) underwent total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) whereas 158 (38.4%) underwent reverse TSA. Five patients (2 TSA and 3 reverse TSA patients) experienced early clinical failure and required revision surgery. Minimum 1-year PROs were obtained for 345 of 406 patients (85.0%) with a mean follow-up period of 1.9 ± 1.2 years. Nearly all postoperative PROs reflected a trend of worse outcomes with more preoperative PRAs; however, the QuickDASH score was the only score showing a significant difference between allergy groups (P = .004). Pair-wise comparison using Nemenyi post hoc testing showed that the QuickDASH score was significantly higher (worse outcomes) for the group with ≥2 allergies compared with the group with 0 allergies. PRA was found to be a statistically significant predictor of higher postoperative QuickDASH scores (P = .043) and was more influential than the Charlson Comorbidity Index and sex. Additionally, PRA was the only statistically significant predictor of patient satisfaction (P = .016). CONCLUSION: An increasing number of preoperative PRAs is associated with worse PROs and patient satisfaction following shoulder arthroplasty. The number of PRAs was the most influential predictor of patient satisfaction.

Open Popliteal Tendon Repair.

Popliteal tendon tears without concomitant damage to the cruciate ligaments or other posterolateral corner ligaments are rare entities with few studies reporting on their existence, with rare case reports discussing their treatment. Continued pain, instability, and effusions are typical symptoms, with magnetic resonance imaging being the main tool for diagnosis. Furthermore, monosodium urate crystals that induce gout have been shown to collect in the popliteal groove and thus may lead to degeneration and isolated tearing. Most case reports have reviewed arthroscopic debridement of the tendon in patients with continued pain. However, in the young athletic population, open repair, if the tissue appears to be of adequate quality, should be a consideration. The use of suture anchors to restore the popliteus to its anatomic footprint is desired. This Technical Note describes a safe and reliable technique for open popliteal tendon repair of an isolated avulsion injury.

No Correlation Between Depth of Acetabuloplasty or Postoperative Lateral Center-Edge Angle on Midterm Outcomes of Hip Arthroscopy With Acetabuloplasty and Labral Repair.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of pincer deformity in hip arthroscopy remains controversial, with some authors advocating that over resection may risk early joint deterioration. The role of acetabular resection depth and postoperative acetabular morphology on postoperative outcomes has yet to be defined. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: This study measures the influence of acetabular resection depth and postoperative lateral center-edge angle (LCEA) on minimum 5-year patient-reported outcomes (PROs), revision rates, and conversion to total hip arthroplasty using a single surgeon's prospective database. We hypothesized that patients with acetabular resections >10°, as measured by LCEA, or patients with postoperative LCEA outside the normal range of 25° to 35° would have lower PROs, higher revision rates, and higher conversion to total hip arthroplasty at midterm follow-up. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. METHODS: A total of 192 patients who underwent primary hip arthroscopy with acetabuloplasty and labral repair by a single surgeon with a minimum 5-year follow-up met the inclusion criteria. Preoperative and postoperative LCEAs were measured on supine anteroposterior radiographs, and patients were divided into cohorts based on LCEA and acetabular resection depth. Cohorts for postoperative LCEA were <20° (dysplasia), 20° to 25° (borderline dysplasia), 25° to 35° (normal), and >35° (borderline overcoverage). Cohorts for acetabular resection depth were <5°, 5° to 10°, and >10° difference from preoperative to postoperative LCEA. Outcome measures included the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), 12-Item Short Form Health Survey, modified Harris Hip Score, Hip Outcome Score, satisfaction scores, revision rates, and conversion to arthroplasty rates. RESULTS: Patients significantly improved in all outcome score measures at final follow-up. There were no statistically significant differences in PRO scores or conversion to total hip arthroplasty between any cohorts in the postoperative LCEA group. There were more revisions in the 25° to 35° cohort than the other cohorts (P = .02). The 5-10° resection depth cohort demonstrated a higher postoperative WOMAC score (P = .03), but otherwise no statistically significant differences were seen between resection depth cohorts in the remaining postoperative outcomes scores, revision rates, or conversion to total hip arthroplasty rates. CONCLUSION: Patients with postoperative LCEA values outside the normal reference range and with large resections perform similar to those with normal postoperative LCEA values and smaller resections at a minimum 5-year follow-up.

The Role of Anterior Capsular Laxity in Hip Microinstability: A Novel Biomechanical Model.

BACKGROUND: Hip microinstability is an increasingly recognized source of hip pain and disability. Although the clinical entity has been well described, the pathomechanics of this disease remain poorly understood. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to determine the role of capsular laxity in atraumatic hip microinstability. Our hypothesis was that cyclic stretching of the anterior hip capsule would result in increased hip range of motion and femoral head displacement. STUDY DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. METHODS: In this study, 7 hip specimens met inclusion criteria (age, 18-46 years). Specimens were stripped of all soft tissue, aligned, cut, and potted by use of a custom jig. A materials testing system was used to cyclically stretch the anterior hip capsule in extension and external rotation while rotating about the mechanical axis of the hip. A motion tracking system was used to record hip rotation and displacement of the femoral head relative to the acetabulum in the anterior-posterior, medial-lateral, and superior-inferior directions. Testing was conducted at baseline, after venting, and after capsular stretching. RESULTS: With the hip in anatomic neutral alignment, cyclic stretching of the anterior hip capsule resulted in increased hip rotation ( P < .001). Femoral head displacement significantly increased relative to the vented state in the medial-lateral ( P < .001), anterior-posterior ( P = .013), and superior-inferior ( P = .036) planes after cyclic stretching of the anterior hip capsule. CONCLUSION: The anterior hip capsule plays an important role in controlling hip rotation and femoral head displacement. This study is the first to display significant increases in femoral head displacement through a controlled cyclic stretching protocol of the anterior hip capsule. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study is directly applicable to the treatment of atraumatic hip microinstability. The results quantitatively define the relative importance of the hip capsule in controlling femoral head motion. This allows for a better understanding of the pathophysiological process of hip microinstability and serves as a platform to develop effective surgical techniques for treatment of this disease.

Contributions of the Capsule and Labrum to Hip Mechanics in the Context of Hip Microinstability.

BACKGROUND: Hip microinstability and labral pathology are commonly treated conditions with increasing research emphasis. To date, there is limited understanding of the biomechanical effects of the hip capsule and labrum on controlling femoral head motion. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to determine the relative role of anterior capsular laxity and labral insufficiency in atraumatic hip microinstability. Our hypotheses were that (1) labral tears in a capsular intact state will have a minimal effect on femoral head motion and (2) the capsule and labrum work synergistically in controlling hip stability. STUDY DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. METHODS: Twelve paired hip specimens from 6 cadaveric pelvises (age, 18-41 years) met the inclusion criteria. Specimens were stripped of all soft tissue except the hip capsule and labrum, then aligned, cut, and potted using a custom jig. A materials testing system was used to cyclically stretch the anterior hip capsule in extension and external rotation, while rotating about the mechanical axis of the hip. Labral insufficiency was created with a combined radial and chondrolabral tear under direct visualization. A motion tracking system was used to record hip internal-external rotation and displacement of the femoral head relative to the acetabulum in the anterior-posterior, medial-lateral, and superior-inferior directions. Testing variables included baseline, postventing, postcapsular stretching, and postlabral insufficiency. RESULTS: When comparing the vented state with each experimental pathologic state, increases in femoral head motion were noted in both the capsular laxity state and the labral insufficiency state. The combined labral insufficiency and capsular laxity state produced statistically significant increases (P < .001) in femoral head translation compared with the vented state in all planes of motion. CONCLUSION: Both the anterior capsule and labrum play a role in hip stability. In this study, the anterior hip capsule was the primary stabilizer to femoral head translation, but labral tears in the setting of capsular laxity produced the most significant increases in femoral head translation. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study provides a physiologic biomechanical assessment of the hip constraints in the setting of hip microinstability. It also sheds light on the importance of the hip capsule in the management of labral tears. Our study demonstrates that labral tears in isolation provide minimal changes in femoral head translation, but in the setting of a deficient capsule, significant increases in femoral head translation are seen, which may result in joint-related symptoms.

A Treatment-Based Algorithm for the Management of Type-II SLAP Tears.

BACKGROUND: The management of Type-II superior labral tears (SLAP) of the shoulder remains a controversial topic. Treatment ranges from non-operative management to surgical management including SLAP repair, biceps tenotomy, and biceps tenodesis. An optimal treatment algorithm has yet to reach universal acceptance. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this paper was to provide a treatment algorithm for the management of Type-II SLAP tears based on current literature and expert opinion. METHOD: Current literature was reviewed and expert opinion was reported to develop a comprehensive treatment protocol for patients based on age, activity level, and pathology. RESULTS: Operative management of type-II SLAP tears yields good to excellent outcomes when proper indications are followed. Biceps tenodesis may produce more reliable pain relief and functional improvement when compared to primary SLAP repair in patients over the age of 40. CONCLUSION: When non-operative management of Type-II SLAP tears fails, operative management yields good to excellent outcomes in most patients. Primary SLAP repair should be performed in patients under the age of 40 with no evidence of proximal biceps pathology, while biceps tenodesis can provide consistent pain relief and return to activity in patients over the age of 40 or with significant proximal biceps pathology. Tenotomy should be reserved for elderly or low demand individuals.

Defining the width of the normal tibial plateau relative to the distal femur: Critical normative data for identifying pathologic widening in tibial plateau fractures.

Tibial plateau widening in the setting of fracture is an indication for surgical treatment, and restoring width is an important goal of surgery. In order to identify and correct pathological widening, the width of the normal tibial plateau must first be defined. The aim of this study was to establish normative data for the width of the tibial plateau relative to the distal femur to enable surgeons to identify and correct pathological widening in the setting of tibial plateau fracture. Fifty-one uninjured anteroposterior (AP) knee radiographs and 11 XR and CT scans of lateral tibial plateau fractures were retrospectively reviewed. The distances measured included maximal distal femoral width, femoral articular width, tibial articular width, and lateral plateau widening. On average, lateral plateau widening was +0.02 ± 2.03 mm, indicating that the most lateral aspect of the tibial plateau is collinear with the most lateral aspect of the lateral epicondyle of the femur. In the fracture population, average widening was 7.13 ± 3.59 mm on XR and 6.57 ± 3.34 mm on CT, with an absolute difference between XR and CT of 1.19 ± 0.66 mm. In conclusion, this study is the first to define the radiographic anatomy of the proximal tibia quantitatively. In the setting of tibial plateau fracture, residual widening of 2.1 mm could be within normal variation. However, the authors consider widening >2.1 mm pathological. These values can be used for assessing pathological widening of tibial plateau fractures. Clin. Anat. 31:688-692, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Anatomic and radiographic comparison of arthroscopic suprapectoral and open subpectoral biceps tenodesis sites.

BACKGROUND: Arthroscopic suprapectoral and open subpectoral surgical techniques are both commonly utilized approaches for proximal biceps tenodesis of the long head of the biceps brachii. A central limitation to the widespread use of an arthroscopic approach for biceps tenodesis is that the tendon may be tenodesed too proximally in the bicipital groove, leading to persistent pain and tendinopathy. Purpose/ HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to determine the in vivo tenodesis location using arthroscopic suprapectoral and open subpectoral techniques for proximal biceps tenodesis in relation to clinically pertinent anatomic and radiographic landmarks. The null hypothesis was that arthroscopic suprapectoral biceps tenodesis would not be significantly different in terms of the location from open subpectoral biceps tenodesis. STUDY DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. METHODS: A total of 20 matched pairs of cadaveric shoulder specimens were randomized such that within each pair, 1 shoulder underwent a standard open subpectoral biceps tenodesis and the other underwent an arthroscopic suprapectoral tenodesis. Limited dissection and exposure of the surgical tunnel site and reference landmarks were subsequently performed, and anteroposterior and lateral radiographs were obtained. Direct measurements were performed anatomically using a digital caliper and radiographically using picture archiving and communication system (PACS) software from the proximal lip of the humeral tunnel to regional landmarks. RESULTS: Both techniques were able to place the humeral tunnel distal to the bicipital groove in all specimens. On average, the open subpectoral approach placed the tunnel 2.2 cm distal to the arthroscopic suprapectoral approach. CONCLUSION: The arthroscopic suprapectoral biceps tenodesis technique used in this study consistently placed the tenodesis tunnel distal to the bicipital groove, which may allay concerns about the bicipital groove as a pain source after this procedure. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This anatomic study provides new information on tunnel placement in 2 biceps tenodesis techniques. In addition, it provides clinically relevant anatomic and radiographic guidelines using clinically pertinent landmarks. This information may be useful in preoperative planning, intraoperative technique, and postoperative assessment of both open subpectoral and arthroscopic suprapectoral biceps tenodesis.

Radiographic landmarks for tunnel positioning in posterior cruciate ligament reconstructions.

BACKGROUND: Consistent radiographic guidelines for tunnel placement in single- or double-bundle posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstructions are not well defined. Quantitative guidelines reporting the location of the individual PCL bundle attachments would aid in intraoperative tunnel placement and postoperative assessment of a PCL reconstruction. HYPOTHESIS: Consistent and reproducible measurements in relation to radiographic landmarks for the entire PCL and its individual bundle attachments are achievable. STUDY DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. METHODS: The femoral and tibial PCL bundle attachment centers of 20 nonpaired fresh-frozen cadaveric knees were labeled using radio-opaque spheres and the attachment areas were labeled using barium sulfate. Anteroposterior (AP) and lateral radiographs of the femur and tibia were obtained, and measurements of the distances between the PCL bundle centers and landmarks were acquired. RESULTS: On the AP femur view, the anterolateral bundle (ALB) and posteromedial bundle (PMB) centers were 34.1 ± 3.0 mm and 29.2 ± 3.0 mm lateral to the most medial border of the medial femoral condyle, respectively. The lateral femur images revealed that the ALB center was 17.4 ± 1.7 mm and the PMB center was 23.9 ± 2.7 mm posteroproximal to a line perpendicular to the Blumensaat line that intersected the anterior margin of the medial femoral condyle cortex. Anteroposterior tibia images revealed that the ALB and PMB centers were located 0.2 ± 2.1 mm proximal and 4.9 ± 2.9 mm distal to the proximal joint line, respectively. The PCL attachment center was 1.6 ± 2.5 mm distal to the proximal joint line. On the lateral tibia view, the ALB center was 8.4 ± 1.8 mm, the PCL attachment center was 5.5 ± 1.7 mm, and the PMB center was 2.5 ± 1.5 mm superior to the champagne glass drop-off of the posterior tibia. CONCLUSION: Radiographic measurements from several clinically relevant views of the femur and tibia were reproducible with regard to the anatomic locations of the ALB and PMB centers. The measurements from the lateral femur and tibia views provided the most clinically pertinent radiographic measurements intraoperatively. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study established a set of clinically relevant radiographic guidelines for anatomic reconstruction of the PCL. The parameters set forth in this study can be used in both the intraoperative and postoperative settings for both single- and double-bundle PCL reconstructions.

Qualitative and quantitative anatomic analysis of the posterior root attachments of the medial and lateral menisci.

BACKGROUND: The clinical importance of the meniscal posterior root attachments has been recently reported by both biomechanical and clinical studies. Although several studies have been performed to evaluate surgical techniques, there have been few studies on the quantitative arthroscopically pertinent anatomy of the posterior meniscal root attachments. HYPOTHESIS: The posterior root attachments of the medial and lateral menisci are consistent among specimens, and repeatable quantitative measurements using arthroscopically pertinent landmarks are achievable. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive laboratory study. METHODS: Twelve nonpaired, fresh-frozen cadaveric knees were used. The positions of the posterior root attachments of the medial and lateral menisci were identified, and 3-dimensional measurements to arthroscopically pertinent landmarks were performed using a coordinate measuring system. RESULTS: The direct distance (±standard error of the mean) between the medial tibial eminence apex and the medial meniscus posterior root attachment center was 11.5 (±0.9) mm. When split into directional components along the knee's main axes, the medial meniscus posterior root attachment center was 9.6 (±0.8) mm posterior and 0.7 (±0.4) mm lateral along the bony surface from the medial tibial eminence apex. It was located 3.5 (±0.4) mm lateral from the medial articular cartilage inflection point and directly 8.2 (±0.7) mm from the nearest tibial attachment margin of the posterior cruciate ligament. The direct distance between the lateral tibial eminence apex and the lateral meniscus posterior root attachment center was 5.3 (±0.3) mm. When it was split into directional components using the knee's main axes, the lateral meniscus posterior root attachment center was 4.2 (±0.4) mm medial and 1.5 (±0.7) mm posterior from the lateral tibial eminence apex. The lateral meniscus posterior root attachment center was located 4.3 (±0.5) mm medial from the nearest articular cartilage margin and directly 12.7 (±1.1) mm from the nearest margin of the tibial attachment of the posterior cruciate ligament. CONCLUSION: This quantitative study reproducibly identified the posterior root attachment centers of the medial and lateral menisci in relation to arthroscopically pertinent landmarks and guidelines. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These data can be directly applied to assist in anatomic meniscal root repairs.