Effect of Modified Arthroscopic Latarjet on Acromiohumeral Distance at 5-Year Follow-up

Background: It is unclear whether coracoacromial ligament release during the Latarjet procedure will increase superior translation of the shoulder joint. Purpose: To evaluate whether a modified suture button Latarjet procedure can decrease the acromiohumeral distance (AHD). Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted among 155 patients who underwent a modified suture button Latarjet procedure between 2013 and 2015. AHD was measured on bilateral computed tomography scans taken preoperatively and on scans of the affected shoulder taken on postoperative day 1 and postoperative month (POM) 6, POM 36, and POM 60. At each time point, we recorded pain on a visual analog scale (VAS) and objective shoulder function using the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, Rowe, and Walch-Duplay scores. Preoperative and final follow-up VAS and functional scores were compared using the paired t test. Pairwise comparison of AHD values at each follow-up time point were compared with the preoperative intact side using the paired t test. Intra- and interobserver reproducibility of the AHD measurements was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Results: A total of 104 patients who met the criteria completed the final follow-up, which occurred at 62.6 ± 2.4 months (mean ± SD). When compared with presurgery, the VAS and all functional scores improved significantly at the last follow-up ( P < .001 for all). Intra- and interobserver intraclass correlation coefficients indicated good reliability for the ADH measurements. Preoperatively, there were no differences in AHD values between the intact and affected shoulders (7.8 ± 0.8 mm for both; P = .851). The AHD values at postoperative day 1 and POM 6, POM 36, and POM 60 were 9.6 ± 0.7 mm, 8.6 ± 0.9 mm, 8.0 ± 0.8 mm, and 7.9 ± 0.8 mm, respectively, all of which were larger than those of the preoperative intact side ( P < .001 for all). Conclusion: The modified suture button Latarjet procedure not only offered satisfactory therapeutic effects but also did not decrease the AHD at 5-year follow-up.

Acromiohumeral distance and supraspinatus tendon thickness in people with shoulder impingement syndrome compared to asymptomatic age and gender-matched participants: a case control study

Background Shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS) is the most common form of shoulder pain. Conservative and surgical treatments for SIS are often not effective. One such surgical intervention is subacromial decompression, aimed at widening the subacromial space (SAS). A better understanding of the changes in the SAS may help explain the relative ineffectiveness of current interventions. Objective: To measure the acromiohumeral distance (AHD) and supraspinatus tendon thickness (STT) in people with SIS using a case control study. Methods The AHD and STT of 39 participants with SIS ≥3 months and 39 age, gender and dominant arm matched controls were measured using ultrasound imaging. Between-group differences for AHD and STT were compared using t-tests. A linear regression was used to determine if there was a relationship between AHD and STT measures, with group as a covariate. Results Compared to controls (mean age 55.7 years, SD 10.6), individuals with SIS (mean age 57.1 years, SD 11.1) had a significantly larger AHD (mean difference 2.14 mm, 95% CI 1.21, 3.07, p < 0.001) and STT (mean difference 1.25 mm, 95% CI 0.60, 1.90, p < 0.001). The linear regression model indicated an association between AHD and STT (β = 0.59, 95% CI 0.29, 0.89, p < 0.01, R2 = 0.35, n = 78), suggesting that as STT increases in size, so does the AHD. Conclusion Individuals with SIS had a larger AHD and greater STT than controls. These results suggest the SAS is already wider in people with SIS and that the symptoms associated with SIS may be more related to an increased STT than a smaller SAS.

Effect of Electroacupuncture on Shoulder Subluxation in Poststroke Patients with Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain: A Sham-Controlled Study Using Multidimensional Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Assessment

Objective. This study aimed to use multidimensional musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging technique to investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on shoulder subluxation in poststroke patients with hemiplegic shoulder pain. Methods. In this prospective single-blind, randomized, sham-controlled study, thirty-four patients with shoulder subluxation and hemiplegic shoulder pain were recruited and randomly assigned into the EA group or the sham EA (SEA) group. In the EA group, EA was applied to the Jian yu (LI15), Bi nao (LI14), Jian zhen (SI9), and Jian liao (TE14) acupoints. In the SEA group, the EA was applied 15 mm away from the Lou gu (SP7), Di ji (SP8), Jiao xin (KI8), and Zhu bin (KI9) acupoints. Both groups underwent treatment 30 minutes/day, five days a week, for two weeks using dense waves with a frequency of 2/100 Hz. A Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment in reducing shoulder pain. Musculoskeletal ultrasound was used to evaluate the changes of measures of shoulder subluxation in multidimensions (i.e., the acromiohumeral distance, AHD; acromion-greater tuberosity, AGT; and acromion-lesser tuberosity, ALT). Both the within- and between-groups treatment effects were assessed. Results. The pain intensity measured by VAS and shoulder subluxation measured by musculoskeletal ultrasound (i.e., AHD, AGT, and ALT) showed significant ( p < 0.05 ) within-group difference in both groups. The between-group difference appeared in the pain intensity ( p < 0.05 ), while it disappeared in the three measures of shoulder subluxation ( p > 0.05 ). Conclusions. Using VAS for measuring pain intensity and multidimensional musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging technique for measuring shoulder subluxation, this study finds that the hemiplegic shoulder pain can be improved significantly by the EA while the shoulder subluxation cannot be. Our findings further reveal the analgesic mechanism of EA on hemiplegic shoulder pain following stroke.

Significance of the Acromiohumeral Distance on Stress Radiography for Predicting Healing and Function after Arthroscopic Repair of Massive Rotator Cuff Tears (231)

Objectives: Decreased acromiohumeral distance (AHD) is commonly detected in massive rotator cuff tears (mRCT). Most studies evaluating fixed humeral elevation have used preoperative or postoperative standardized radiography, and not stress radiography. We aimed to evaluate the role of preoperative AHD using stress radiography for healing and function after arthroscopic repair of mRCT. Methods: We analyzed the data of 113 patients who underwent arthroscopic repair of mRCT, whose postoperative cuff integrity was evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging at 1 year and whose functions were evaluated at a mean of 34.9 ± 17.8 months. Forty-seven patients showed healing failure. Propensity score matching (1-to-1) was performed between the healed and healing failure groups. 38 patients in each group were matched in the final analysis. We defined AHD and AHD_stress as the shortest distances from the inferior acromion to the superior humerus on standard anteroposterior and stress radiography (5.4 kg weight applied inferiorly in a neutral position), respectively. AHD difference (AHD_diff) was defined as the difference between AHD and AHD_stress. Results: There was no difference in the mean preoperative AHD between the healed (7.5 ± 2.0) and healing failure groups (6.9 ± 2.2, p = 0.234). AHD_diff was significantly higher in the healed (4.4 ± 2.1mm) than in the healing failure group (3.0 ± 2.0 mm, p = 0.002: cutoff, 3.2 mm). Patients with AHD_diff ≥3.2 mm showed lower healing failure (28.9% vs 71.1%, p < 0.001) and higher functional scores than those with AHD_diff <3.2 mm. AHD_diff was higher in the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) ≥80 (4.9 ± 1.9 mm) than in the ASES <80 group (3.1 ± 2.1 mm, p = 0.024). Only postoperative AHD was related to postoperative functions (cutoff, 4.8 mm, p = 0.009) in the healing failure group. Conclusions: The AHD_diff measured using preoperative stress radiography can be another predictor of rotator cuff healing and function after arthroscopic repair of mRCT and would be helpful to determine appropriate treatment strategies.

Bridging Allograft Reconstruction Is Superior to Maximal Repair for the Treatment of Chronic, Massive Rotator Cuff Tears: Results of a Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Despite advances in surgical techniques, the use of maximal repair to treat large or massive rotator cuff tears results in a high retear rate postoperatively. Currently, no randomized controlled trials have compared the outcomes of maximal repair with interposition dermal allograft bridging reconstruction. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that large or massive rotator cuff tendon tears reconstructed using bridging dermal allograft would have better clinical outcomes 2 years postoperatively, as measured using the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff (WORC) index, than would those receiving the current gold standard treatment of debridement and maximal repair alone. We also expected that patients treated via bridging reconstruction using dermal allograft would have fewer postoperative failures as assessed using postoperative magnetic resonance imaging scans. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence 1. Methods: A sample size of 30 patients (determined using a priori sample size calculation) with massive, retracted rotator cuff tears were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 groups: maximal repair or bridging reconstruction using dermal allograft. All patients completed questionnaires (WORC and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand [DASH]) preoperatively and postoperatively at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years. The primary outcome of this study was the WORC index at 2 years. Secondary outcomes included healing rate, progression of rotator cuff arthropathy, and postoperative acromiohumeral distance in both groups. Results: Patients treated via bridging reconstruction using dermal allograft had better postoperative WORC and DASH scores (23.93 ± 24.55 and 15.77 ± 19.27, respectively) compared with patients who received maximal repair alone (53.36 ± 31.93 and 34.32 ± 23.31, respectively). We also noted increased progression to rotator cuff arthropathy in the maximal repair group with an increased retear rate when compared with the reconstruction group (87% and 21%, respectively; P < .001). The acromiohumeral distance was maintained in the reconstruction group but significantly decreased in the maximal repair group. Conclusion: Rotator cuff bridging reconstruction using a dermal allograft demonstrated improved patient-reported outcomes as measured using the WORC index 2 years postoperatively. This technique also showed favorable structural healing rates and decreased progression to arthropathy compared with maximal repair. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01987973)

The association between acromial anatomy and articular-sided partial thickness of rotator cuff tears

Background Acromial anatomy has been found to be correlated with degenerative full-thickness rotator cuff tears in current studies. However, research on the relationship between acromial anatomy and articular-sided partial thickness of rotator cuff tears (PTRCTs) is still lacking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether these imaging graphic parameters exhibit any association between acromial anatomy and degenerative articular-sided PTRCTs. Methods Between January 2016 and December 2018, a total of 91 patients without a history of trauma underwent arthroscopy as an articular-sided PTRCT group. In the control group, with age- and sex-matched patients, we selected 91 consecutive outpatient patients who underwent shoulder magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) because of shoulder pain and an MRI diagnosis of only synovial hyperplasia and effusion. MRI was used to measure the acromial type, acromiohumeral distance (AHD), lateral acromial angle (LAA), acromion index (AI), and critical shoulder angle (CSA) by 2 independent observers. Results The acromion type, AHD and LAA showed no difference between degenerative articular-sided PTRCTs and controls (P = 0.532, 0.277, and 0.108, respectively). AI and CSA were significantly higher in degenerative articular-sided PTRCTs (P = 0.002 and 0.003, respectively). A good correlation was found between AI and CSA to measurement(Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.631). Conclusions Our study revealed that higher AI and CSA were found in degenerative articular-sided PTRCTs. Acromial anatomy with a large acromial extension was associated with the occurrence of degenerative articular-sided PTRCTs.

Influence of rigid taping on the acromiohumeral distance in healthy recreational weightlifters

Background Subacromial pain syndrome is one of the most frequent injuries in overhead athletes, and it takes place when the acromiohumeral distance (AHD) is narrowed. Conservative treatment is the first approach to this syndrome, being shoulder taping one of the most used techniques. Although there are quite a few studies that analyse the effect of taping on the AHD, most of them do not include sham tapings. This study aimed to examine if the Relocation of the humeral head (RHH) taping produced an increase in the AHD in healthy recreationally weightlifter males, quantifying the change that may be due to a placebo effect. Methods The design of this study was a two-group pretest-posttest, in which eighteen healthy recreationally weightlifter males were measured. in a laboratory of the University of Valencia. RHH using rigid or sham taping was randomly applied to the participants. The AHD was measured and registered before and after the application of the taping for both groups by a blinded examiner using ultrasound. Results There were no significant differences between pre and post measures in the sham group (p = 0.51). The experimental group showed a significant AHD increase of 9.2% (10.75 ± 1.89 vs 11.74 ± 1.82, respectively, with p < 0.001). Significant differences in the effects of each taping on the AHD were found between groups (p < 0.001). The results of this study indicate that the RHH rigid taping increases the AHD in the shoulders of recreationally weightlifters, dismissing the possibility of a placebo effect of the taping.