A scoping review and best evidence synthesis for treatment of partial-thickness rotator cuff tears.

BACKGROUND: Rotator cuff disorders include a broad spectrum of pathological conditions including partial-thickness and full-thickness tears. Studies have shown partial-thickness rotator cuff tear (PTRCT) prevalence to be twice that of full-thickness tears. In the working population, PTRCTs are one of the most common causes of shoulder pain and often result in occupational disability due to pain, stiffness, and loss of shoulder function. Treatment of PTRCTs remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to consolidate the existing high-quality evidence on best management approaches in treating PTRCTs using both nonoperative and operative approaches. METHODS: A scoping review with best evidence synthesis was performed as per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE (OVID), Cochrane Library (Wiley), SCOPUS, Web of Science Core Collection, CINAHL Plus with Full Text (EBSCOhost), PubMed Central, and Science Direct were searched from 2000 to March 3, 2023. Level 1 studies, and systematic reviews and meta-analyses that included level 1 and 2 studies, were included. RESULTS: The search yielded 8276 articles. A total of 3930 articles were screened after removing 4346 duplicates. Application of inclusion criteria resulted in 662 articles that were selected for full-text review. Twenty-eight level 1 studies, 1 systematic review, 4 meta-analyses, and 1 network meta-analyses were included in the best evidence synthesis. Nonoperative strategies included injections (ie, platelet-rich plasma, corticosteroid, prolotherapy, sodium hyaluronate, anesthetic, and atelocollagen), exercise therapy, and physical agents. Operative interventions consisted of débridement, shaving of the tendon and footprint, transtendon repair, and traditional suture anchor repair techniques with and without tear completion. Both nonoperative and operative strategies demonstrated effectiveness at managing pain and functional outcome for PTRCTs. The evidence supports the effectiveness of surgical intervention in treating PTRCTs regardless of arthroscopic technique. CONCLUSION: The results of this scoping review do not support superiority of operative over nonoperative management and suggest that both strategies can be effective at managing pain and functional outcome for PTRCTs. Surgery, however, is the most invasive and costly approach, with the highest risk of complications such as infection. Other variables such as patient expectation, treating practitioner bias, or preference may change which modalities are offered and in what sequence.

The Use of an External Cutting Guide for Patient-Specific Bone Grafting in Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Novel Technique.

Glenoid bone loss remains a substantial challenge in reverse shoulder arthroplasty and failure to address such bone loss may lead to implant malpositioning, instability and/or premature baseplate loosening. Currently, management of glenoid bone loss can be achieved by metal augmentation or bone grafting (ie, autograft or allograft). At the present time, options for creating and shaping glenoid bone grafts include free-hand techniques and simple reusable cutting guides that create the graft at a standard shape/angle. To our knowledge, there is no external guide available that enables surgeons to accurately prepare the bone graft to the desired dimensions/shape (ie, trapezoid or biplanar) to correct the glenoid deformity. In this article, we present a novel surgical technique that utilizes an external guide for creating a patient-specific bone graft to address glenoid deformity in the setting of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty.

3D Printed Patient-Specific Cutting Guides for Bone Grafting in Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Novel Technique.

Glenoid bone loss remains a challenge in shoulder arthroplasty. Addressing substantial bone loss is essential to ensure proper function and stability of the shoulder prosthesis and to prevent baseplate loosening and subsequent revision surgery. Current options for creating and shaping glenoid bone grafts include free-hand techniques and simple reusable cutting guides that cut the graft at a standard angle. There is currently no patient-specific device available that enables surgeons to accurately prepare the bone graft and correct glenoid deformity. We present a novel surgical technique using three-dimensional (3D)-printed cutting guides to create a patient-specific bone graft to address glenoid deformity in the setting of reverse shoulder arthroplasty.

Body mass index affects knee joint mechanics during gait differently with and without moderate knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity is a highly cited risk factor for knee osteoarthritis (OA), but its role in knee OA pathogenesis and progression is not as clear. Excess weight may contribute to an increased mechanical burden and altered dynamic movement and loading patterns at the knee. The objective of this study was to examine the interacting role of moderate knee OA disease presence and obesity on knee joint mechanics during gait. METHODS: Gait analysis was performed on 104 asymptomatic and 140 individuals with moderate knee OA. Each subject group was divided into three body mass categories based on body mass index (BMI): healthy weight (BMI<25), overweight (25≤BMI≤30), and obese (BMI>30). Three-dimensional knee joint angles and net external knee joint moments were calculated and waveform principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to extract major patterns of variability from each. PC scores for major patterns were compared between groups using a two-factor ANOVA. RESULTS: Significant BMI main effects were found in the pattern of the knee adduction moment, the knee flexion moment, and the knee rotation moment during gait. Two interaction effects between moderate OA disease presence and BMI were also found that described different changes in the knee flexion moment and the knee flexion angle with increased BMI with and without knee OA. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that increased BMI is associated with different changes in biomechanical patterns of the knee joint during gait depending on the presence of moderate knee OA.

A novel method for localization of the maximum glenoid bone defect during reverse shoulder arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Management of glenoid bone defects during reverse shoulder arthroplasty remains a challenge. The aim of our study was to preoperatively localize the maximal depth of glenoid bone defects in relation to glenoid reaming. METHODS: Thirty preoperative shoulder computed tomography scans were collected. Three assessors created standardized surgical plans, using 3-dimensional (3D) computed tomography-based Blueprint planning software in which the reaming axis was held constant at zero degrees of version and inclination. Each plan resulted in a 2-dimensional (2D) image of the reamer's contact on the glenoid and a corresponding 3D representation of the glenoid bone defect. The position of the maximum glenoid defect was localized on both the 2D and 3D images. Descriptive statistics were calculated. The correlation between angles from 2D and 3D images was assessed, and intraclass correlation was used to assess inter-rater and intrarater reliability. RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients were included. The overall mean difference between 2D and 3D angles was 5.4° (standard deviation 5.2°). The correlation between 2D and 3D angles was almost perfect. Intraclass correlation results demonstrated near-perfect agreement. The maximal glenoid defect was within 5% of a circle (or +/- 9°) from perpendicular to the high-side ream line in 85.1% of comparisons and was within 10% of a circle in 97.6% of comparisons. CONCLUSION: Using Blueprint planning software, we have demonstrated with almost perfect agreement among 3 assessors that when the reaming axis is held constant, the maximum glenoid bone defect is reliably located perpendicular to the glenoid ream line.

Functional, impulse-based quantification of plantar pressure patterns in typical adult gait.

BACKGROUND: Dynamic pedobarography is used to measure the change in plantar pressure distribution during gait. Clinical methods of pedobarographic analysis lack, however, a standardized, functional segmentation or require costly motion capture technology and expertise. Furthermore, while commonly used pedobarographic measures are mostly based on peak pressures, progressive foot deformities also depend on the duration the pressure is applied, which can be quantified via impulse measures. RESEARCH QUESTION: Our objectives were to: (1) develop a standardized method for functionally segmenting pedobarographic data during gait without the need for motion capture; (2) compute pedobarographic measures that are based on each segment's vertical impulse; and (3) obtain a normative set of such pedobarographic measures for non-disabled gait. METHODS: Pedobarographic data was collected during gait from sixty adults with normal feet. Using the maximum pressure map for each trial, an expert and novice rater independently identified the hallux, heel, medial forefoot, and lateral forefoot and computed nine normalized vertical impulse measures. RESULTS: From the computed impulse measures, the Heel-to-Forefoot Balance was 33.3 ± 5.5%, the Medial-Lateral Forefoot Balance (with hallux) 59.2 ± 8.0%, the Medial-Lateral Forefoot Balance (without hallux) 53.5 ± 7.7%, and the Hallux-to-Medial Forefoot Balance 21.0 ± 8.9% (mean ± standard deviation). The intra- and inter-rater reliability ranged between 0.93 and 1.00 and between 0.89 and 0.99, respectively (ICC(2,1)). SIGNIFICANCE: We developed a simple, stand-alone method for pedobarographic segmentation that is mechanistically linked to relevant anatomical regions of the foot. The normative impulse measures exhibited excellent reliability. This normative dataset is currently used in the clinical assessment of different foot deformities and gait impairments, and in the evaluation of treatment outcomes.

Obesity is associated with higher absolute tibiofemoral contact and muscle forces during gait with and without knee osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is an important risk factor for knee osteoarthritis initiation and progression. However, it is unclear how obesity may directly affect the mechanical loading environment of the knee joint, initiating or progressing joint degeneration. The objective of this study was to investigate the interacting role of obesity and moderate knee osteoarthritis presence on tibiofemoral contact forces and muscle forces within the knee joint during walking gait. METHODS: Three-dimensional gait analysis was performed on 80 asymptomatic participants and 115 individuals diagnosed with moderate knee osteoarthritis. Each group was divided into three body mass index categories: healthy weight (body mass index<25), overweight (25≤body mass index≤30), and obese (body mass index>30). Tibiofemoral anterior-posterior shear and compressive forces, as well as quadriceps, hamstrings and gastrocnemius muscle forces, were estimated based on a sagittal plane contact force model. Peak contact and muscle forces during gait were compared between groups, as well as the interaction between disease presence and body mass index category, using a two-factor analysis of variance. FINDINGS: There were significant osteoarthritis effects in peak shear, gastrocnemius and quadriceps forces only when they were normalized to body mass, and there were significant BMI effects in peak shear, compression, gastrocnemius and hamstrings forces only in absolute, non-normalized forces. There was a significant interaction effect in peak quadriceps muscle forces, with higher forces in overweight and obese groups compared to asymptomatic healthy weight participants. INTERPRETATION: Body mass index was associated with higher absolute tibiofemoral compression and shear forces as well as posterior muscle forces during gait, regardless of moderate osteoarthritis presence or absence. The differences found may contribute to accelerated joint damage with obesity, but with the osteoarthritic knees less able to accommodate the high loads.