Occult thoracoacromial artery injury during reverse total shoulder arthroplasty resulting in a cascade of postoperative complications: A case report.

We report a case of a 78-year old female patient got the reverse total shoulder arthroplasty with a series of events. After diagnosed with anterior shoulder dislocation and coracoid process fracture at a local hospital, she received conservative care after reduction but persistent reduction loss occurred. Preoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging confirmed underlying massive fatty infiltration and severe retraction of rotator cuff muscles. Considering underlying chronic rotator cuff arthropathy on preoperative X-ray and Computed Tomography scan with irreparable rotator cuff tears, we decided to perform reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. After unexpected vessel injury possibly due to underlying bleeding tendency or intra-operative procedure, severe complications occurred including active arterial bleeding, brachial plexus palsy and skin necrosis. Serial managements which included embolization of the artery, wound management while implant exposure status, and operative coverage of a skin defect by Latissimus Dorsi pedicled flap and Split Thickness Skin Graft were done. This series of events suggests that surgeons should be more careful than we were about possible injuries of small vessel branches that can cause unexpected complications, and keep in mind the importance of immediate cooperation with other medical professionals such as radiologists, plastic surgeons, and thoracic surgeons.

Changes in Tip-Apex Distance by Position and Film Distance Measured by Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS).

PURPOSE: The tip-apex distance (TAD) is used to predict the clinical outcome of intertrochanteric fracture fixation. We aimed to measure the changes in TAD by position and film distance using Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used a femur replica with a 10° femoral neck anteversion and a 130° neck shaft angle. Proximal femoral nail antirotation nail and a helical blade were inserted into the replica. Radiographs were taken at the neutral position and after applying 10°, 20°, 30°, 40° internal/external rotation, 10° abduction, and 10° and 40° adduction to the mechanical axis. Radiographs were taken at the replica-film distance of 10 cm and 20 cm under the same conditions, mimicking the differences in Focus-film distance (FFD), which reflect the patient's contour in clinical settings. A radiologist and an orthopedic surgeon measured the TAD twice using PACS. The average error was 2 mm (4.5%) and the standard error was ±3.04. TADs in the neutral position constituted the standard values to measure the relative errors. RESULTS: TADs increased with an increase in the external rotation and abduction of the replica. TADs decreased with an increase in the internal rotation and adduction of the replica. For comparable measurements, relative errors were higher at FFDs of 20 cm compared to FFDs of 10 cm. CONCLUSION: Since the femur is internally rotated and adducted for reduction, orthopedic surgeons would assess the lag screw to be closer to the apex of femur on intraoperative radiographs. To have a correct measurement of the TAD after fixation of intertrochanteric fractures, radiographs should be taken in neutral position and measurement errors should be considered based on the patient's size.