Blake Boggess

Dermal Tissue Allograft for the Repair of Massive Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears

Background: Massive irreparable rotator cuff tears in patients without advanced glenohumeral arthritis can pose a challenge to surgeons. Numerous management strategies have been utilized, and studies have shown varied results with regard to shoulder pain, range of motion, strength, and overall function. Hypothesis: Patients undergoing repair of massive irreparable rotator cuff tears through a mini-open approach with the use of human dermal tissue matrix allograft would demonstrate an improvement in pain, range of motion, strength, and subjective functional outcomes. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: We performed a prospective observational study of 24 patients who underwent interposition repair of massive rotator cuff tears using human dermal allograft. All patients were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively by the treating surgeon. Data were collected preoperatively and postoperatively for an average 3-year follow-up period (range, 29-40 months). Active range of motion as well as supraspinatus and infraspinatus strength was assessed. Subjective outcome measures included pain level (visual analog scale of 0-10, with 10 = severe pain), American Shoulder and Elbow Score (ASES), and Short-Form 12 (SF-12) score. Imaging evaluation to assess for repair integrity was performed using static and dynamic ultrasonography at final follow-up. Results: Mean pain level decreased from 5.4 to 0.9 (P = .0002). Mean active forward flexion and external rotation motion improved from 111.7° to 157.3° (P = .0002) and from 46.2° to 65.1° (P = .001), respectively. Mean shoulder abduction improved from 105.0° to 151.7° (P = .0001). Supraspinatus and infraspinatus strength improved from 7.2 to 9.4 (P = .0003) and from 7.8 to 9.3 (P = .002), respectively. Mean ASES improved from 66.6 to 88.7 (P = .0003). Mean SF-12 scores improved from 48.8 to 56.8 (P = .03). One partial graft retear occurred because of patient noncompliance during postoperative rehabilitation. However, this patient still demonstrated improvement in pain, motion, and subjective outcomes at final follow-up. Ultrasonography demonstrated “fully intact” repairs in 76% of patients. All remaining patients had “partially intact” repairs. There were no complete tears. Conclusion: In our series of carefully selected candidates, all patients demonstrated a significant improvement in pain, range of motion, and strength. Subjective outcome measures, including mean ASES and SF-12 scores, also demonstrated significant improvement at an average 3-year follow-up.

Massive or 2-Tendon Rotator Cuff Tears in Active Patients With Minimal Glenohumeral Arthritis Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes of Reconstruction Using Dermal Tissue Matrix Xenograft

Background: The management of irreparable massive or full-thickness 2-tendon rotator cuff tears in active patients with minimal glenohumeral arthritis remains a difficult challenge for the treating surgeon. Many different treatment options, with varied success, have been proposed. Hypotheses: (1) Patients undergoing reconstruction of irreparable massive or full-thickness 2-tendon rotator cuff tears by dermal tissue matrix xenograft would demonstrate improvements in pain, range of motion, strength, and subjective functional outcomes. (2) Postoperative ultrasonography would demonstrate intact repairs at a minimum 2-year follow-up. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Twenty-six patients (27 shoulders) underwent reconstruction of irreparable massive or full-thickness 2-tendon rotator cuff tears by dermal tissue matrix xenograft. Pain level (scale 0-10, 10 = severe pain), active range of motion, and supraspinatus and external rotation strength were assessed. Subjective outcome measures included American Shoulder and Elbow Score (ASES) and Short Form-12 (SF-12) score. Clinical and radiographic analyses were performed at an average 32-month follow-up period (minimum 2-year follow-up). Ultrasound imaging (static and dynamic) of the operative shoulder was performed at final follow-up to assess the integrity of the construct. Results: Mean patient age was 60 years. Mean pain level decreased from 5.1 to 0.4 (P = .002). Mean active forward flexion and abduction improved from 138.8° to 167.3° (P = .024) and 117.9° to 149.3° (P = .001), respectively. Supraspinatus and external rotation strength improved from 7.2 to 9.4 (P = .001) and 7.4 to 9.5 (P = .001), respectively. Mean ASES improved from 62.7 to 91.8 (P = .0007), and mean SF-12 scores improved from 48.4 to 56.6 (P = .044). Twenty-one patients (22 shoulders) returned for a dynamic and static ultrasound of the operative shoulder at a minimum 2-year follow-up. Sixteen patients (73%) demonstrated a fully intact tendon-graft reconstruction, 5 patients (22%) had a partially intact reconstruction, and 1(5%) had a complete tear at the graft-bone interface caused by suture anchor pullout as a result of a fall. There were no cases of infection or tissue rejection. Conclusion: Active patients with massive or 2-tendon rotator cuff tears with minimal glenohumeral arthritis continue to be a subset of the population for whom there is no current standard of care. Results suggest that the use of porcine xenograft may be an effective means by which to treat these patients.

Gastrointestinal infections in the traveling athlete

Because athletes travel to competitions all over the world, sports medicine providers need to be able to diagnose and treat gastrointestinal infections. Traveler’s diarrhea (TD) is by far the most common gastrointestinal illness. TD is a self-limited condition caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites, and it can easily be treated. Nevertheless, there are preventative measures that should be taken to limit the exposure to TD in the first place.

Dorsal wrist mass: the carpal boss.

The carpal boss is an osseous overgrowth that is occasionally mistaken for a ganglion cyst. This report highlights the case a 36-year-old patient who was originally diagnosed by his primary care physician with a ganglion cyst and was sent to an orthopaedist for aspiration. Upon further evaluation with a plain radiograph, the dorsal wrist mass was found to be a carpal boss. The patient was treated with rest and a wrist brace, and was informed that a corticosteroid injection or surgical excision would be necessary if conservative treatment failed. The patient was asymptomatic on follow-up and invasive procedures were not necessary.

Carpal contusions in an elite platform diver

Wrist and hand injuries are common in elite divers, as all correctly performed dives end with a head first entry into the water with the hands extended above the head. This case presentation was an Olympic level diver with 3 months of persistent dorsal wrist pain. MRI findings showed contiguous contusions to the lunate, capitate, hamate and distal radius and also a peripheral tear of the ulnar attachment of the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC). The repeated dorsiflexion stress of entry into the water likely caused these injuries. Although the authors had suspected a TFCC injury and did find an isolated ulnar-sided peripheral tear, the complicating carpal contusions led us to choose a conservative treatment plan, which was the only intervention the patient ultimately required.

Medicolegal Aspects of Sports Medicine

Legal issues in sports medicine are rapidly developing and establishing an important body of jurisprudence that defines the legal rights and duties of all those involved with protecting the health and safety of athletes. The law makes important distinctions between the relevant duty of care owed to high-school, college, and professional athletes because of the differing legal relationships that arise out of athletic participation at different levels of competition.

Anteromedial subtalar dislocation

Subtalar dislocation is the simultaneous dislocation of the talocalcaneal and talonavicular joints of the foot, typically caused by falls from heights, twisting leg injuries and motor vehicle accidents. The dislocation can occur medially, lateral, anterior or posterior, but most commonly occurs from inversion injury producing a medial dislocation. These dislocations may be accompanied by fractures. Careful physical examination must be performed to assess for neurovascular compromise. Most subtalar dislocations can be treated with closed reduction under sedation. However, if the dislocation is associated with an open fracture it may require reduction in the operating room. Treatment should include postreduction plain x-ray and CT scan to evaluate for proper alignment and for fractures. This article presents a case of medial subtalar dislocation in a 23-year-old football player.

Interposition Porcine Acellular Dermal Matrix Xenograft Successful Alternative in Treatment for Massive Rotator Cuff

Objectives: Despite advances in the surgical techniques of rotator cuff repair (RCR), the management of massive rotator cuff tears in shoulders without glenohumeral arthritis poses a difficult problem for surgeons. Failure of massive rotator cuff repairs range from 20-90% at one to two years postoperatively using arthrography, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging. Additionally, there are inconsistent outcomes reported with debridement alone of massive rotator cuff tears as well as limitations seen with other current methods of operative intervention including arthroplasty and tendon transfers. The purpose of this prospective, comparative study was to determine if the repair of massive rotator cuff tears using an interposition porcine acellular dermal matrix xenograft improves subjective function, pain, range of motion, and strength at greater than two years follow-up. To our knowledge, this is the largest prospective series reporting outcomes of using porcine acellular dermal matrix xenograft as an interposition graft. Methods: Thirty-seven patients (37 shoulders) with an average age of 66 years (range 51-80 years) were prospectively followed for 33 months (range 23-48) following massive RCR using porcine acellular dermal matrix interposition xenograft. Subjective outcomes were measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain score (0-10, 0 = no pain), Modified American Shoulder and Elbow Score (M-ASES), and Short-Form12 (SF-12) scores. Preoperative and postoperative objective outcome measures included active range of motion and supraspinatus and infraspinatus manual muscle strength. Postoperative outcome measures included quantitative muscle strength using a dynamometer and static and dynamic ultrasonography to assess the integrity of the repair. Results: Average VAS pain score decreased from 4.5 to 1.1 (P<0.001). Average postoperative M-ASES was 89.23. Average postoperative SF-12 was 52.6. Mean forward flexion, external and internal rotation significantly improved from 133.2° to 157.9° (P=0.003), 51.56° to 64.25° (P=0.001), and 49.8° to 74.0° (P<0.001), respectively. Manual strength (10 point scale) in supraspinatus and infraspinatus increased from 7.3 to 8.9 (P<0.001) and 7.4 to 9.4 (P<0.001), respectively. Using a dynamometer, supraspinatus quantitative strength was a mean of 68.6N and infraspinatus quantitative strength was a mean of 50.6N. Ultrasound evaluation of repairs showed 33 (89.1%) to be fully intact, three (8.1%) had partial tears, and one repair (2.7%) was not intact. The one patient whose repair was not intact by ultrasound was a revision repair. No infections, evidence of inflammatory reaction, tissue rejection, or major adverse outcomes were identified. Three patients underwent ipsilateral shoulder surgery for lysis of adhesions due to post-operative decreased ROM during the follow-up period. Conclusion: Following repair of massive rotator cuff tears with interposition porcine acellular dermal matrix xenografts, patients had significant improvement in pain, range of motion, strength and reported good subjective function based on M-ASES and SF-12 scores. The repair was completely intact in 89% of patients, a vast improvement compared with results reported for primary repairs of massive rotator cuff tears. Tissue grafts such as the porcine acellular graft used in our study hold great promise in the treatment of massive, retracted rotator cuff tears.

An Alternative Diagnosis of Shoulder Pain Visualized on Musculoskeletal Ultrasound: Deltoid Insertional Tendinopathy

An Alternative Diagnosis of Shoulder Pain Visualized on Musculoskeletal Ultrasound: Deltoid Insertional Tendinopathy Complaints of shoulder pain are frequently diagnosed as referred pain from rotator cuff pathologies. Examiners may overlook other diagnoses, such as deltoid insertion pathology, and assume the rotator cuff is the cause of shoulder pain. There is limited literature describing deltoid insertion pathology as a cause of shoulder pain, and no literature could be found referencing deltoid insertional tendinitis. Shoulder pain is a common complaint. Although there may be several etiologies, deltoid insertional tendinopathy should be considered if a patient presents complaining of shoulder pain that localizes to the deltoid insertion and ultrasound findings are consistent with those presented in this case series. Our study proposes an alternative diagnosis for lateral shoulder pain that has not previously been described in the literature.