Deborah Higgs

Clinical outcome after reconstruction for sternoclavicular joint instability using a sternocleidomastoid tendon graft.

BACKGROUND Anterior instability of the sternoclavicular joint is uncommon and usually follows a benign course, although symptomatic patients may require surgical intervention. The optimal treatment for symptomatic instability of the sternoclavicular joint remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome after reconstruction of the sternoclavicular joint with use of a sternocleidomastoid tendon graft to treat chronic debilitating anterior instability of the sternoclavicular joint. METHODS Thirty-two patients underwent surgical reconstruction of the sternoclavicular joint for chronic debilitating anterior instability using the tendon of the sternal head of the ipsilateral sternocleidomastoid muscle and were followed for a mean of forty-four months. The etiology of instability was posttraumatic in fourteen patients, generalized hyperlaxity in seven patients, and degenerative instability in eleven patients. Outcome measures included the Oxford instability shoulder score, subjective shoulder value, pain rating, and postoperative grading of sternoclavicular joint stability. RESULTS Clinical scores and pain rating were similar for the three groups before surgery and improved significantly in all of the groups to the same extent after the surgery. At the time of the latest follow-up, eleven of fourteen patients in the posttraumatic group, six of seven patients in the generalized hyperlaxity group, and eight of eleven patients in the degenerative group reported the sternoclavicular joint as stable with no functional limitation. Two patients reported that the joint remained unstable. No other complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS Sternoclavicular joint reconstruction using a sternocleidomastoid tendon graft is safe and offers reliable pain relief and functional improvement for patients with chronic debilitating anterior instability of the sternoclavicular joint.

Management of peri-prosthetic fracture of the humerus with severe bone loss and loosening of the humeral component after total shoulder replacement

There is little information about the management of peri-prosthetic fracture of the humerus after total shoulder replacement (TSR). This is a retrospective review of 22 patients who underwent a revision of their original shoulder replacement for peri-prosthetic fracture of the humerus with bone loss and/or loose components. There were 20 women and two men with a mean age of 75 years (61 to 90) and a mean follow-up 42 months (12 to 91): 16 of these had undergone a previous revision TSR. Of the 22 patients, 12 were treated with a long-stemmed humeral component that bypassed the fracture. All their fractures united after a mean of 27 weeks (13 to 94). Eight patients underwent resection of the proximal humerus with endoprosthetic replacement to the level of the fracture. Two patients were managed with a clam-shell prosthesis that retained the original components. The mean Oxford shoulder score (OSS) of the original TSRs before peri-prosthetic fracture was 33 (14 to 48). The mean OSS after revision for fracture was 25 (9 to 31). Kaplan-Meier survival using re-intervention for any reason as the endpoint was 91% (95% confidence interval (CI) 68 to 98) and 60% (95% CI 30 to 80) at one and five years, respectively. There were two revisions for dislocation of the humeral head, one open reduction for modular humeral component dissociation, one internal fixation for nonunion, one trimming of a prominent screw and one re-cementation for aseptic loosening complicated by infection, ultimately requiring excision arthroplasty. Two patients sustained nerve palsies. Revision TSR after a peri-prosthetic humeral fracture associated with bone loss and/or loose components is a salvage procedure that can provide a stable platform for elbow and hand function. Good rates of union can be achieved using a stem that bypasses the fracture. There is a high rate of complications and function is not as good as with the original replacement.

The outcome of scapulothoracic fusion for painful winging of the scapula in dystrophic and non-dystrophic conditions

Scapulothoracic fusion (STF) for painful winging of the scapula in neuromuscular disorders can provide effective pain relief and functional improvement, but there is little information comparing outcomes between patients with dystrophic and non-dystrophic conditions. We performed a retrospective review of 42 STFs in 34 patients with dystrophic and non-dystrophic conditions using a multifilament trans-scapular, subcostal cable technique supported by a dorsal one-third semi-tubular plate. There were 16 males and 18 females with a mean age of 30 years (15 to 75) and a mean follow-up of 5.0 years (2.0 to 10.6). The mean Oxford shoulder score improved from 20 (4 to 39) to 31 (4 to 48). Patients with non-dystrophic conditions had lower overall functional scores but achieved greater improvements following STF. The mean active forward elevation increased from 59° (20° to 90°) to 97° (30° to 150°), and abduction from 51° (10° to 90°) to 83° (30° to 130°) with a greater range of movement achieved in the dystrophic group. Revision fusion for nonunion was undertaken in five patients at a mean time of 17 months (7 to 31) and two required revision for fracture. There were three pneumothoraces, two rib fractures, three pleural effusions and six nonunions. The main risk factors for nonunion were smoking, age and previous shoulder girdle surgery. STF is a salvage procedure that can provide good patient satisfaction in 82% of patients with both dystrophic and non-dystrophic pathologies, but there was a relatively high failure rate (26%) when poor outcomes were analysed. Overall function was better in patients with dystrophic conditions which correlated with better range of movement; however, patients with non-dystrophic conditions achieved greater functional improvement.

Complex shoulder arthroplasty in patients with skeletal dysplasia can decrease pain and improve function

BACKGROUND Patients with skeletal dysplasia are prone to the development of degenerative shoulder disease requiring shoulder arthroplasty at a younger age than in the general population. To date there have been no published reports on the complexities or outcome of shoulder arthroplasty in this unique patient group. METHODS This is a review of 13 shoulder arthroplasties in 10 patients with skeletal dysplasia with mean follow-up of 7 years (2-17.6 years). There were 4 men and 6 women with a mean age of 53.1 years (23-76 years), mean height of 148 cm (122-177 cm), and mean weight of 60 kg (27-80 kg). RESULTS The mean Oxford Shoulder Score increased from 13 (5-20) preoperatively to 28 (18-38) at final follow-up. Patients improved significantly in 2 of 8 Short Form 36 health-related quality of life domains: physical function (P = .04) and bodily pain (P = .04). Function was better in those who underwent nonconstrained total shoulder arthroplasty as opposed to hemiarthroplasty. Four (31%) required reoperation: 1 excision of heterotopic ossification, 1 relocation for anterior instability, and 2 revisions for periprosthetic fracture and glenoid erosion. CONCLUSION Shoulder arthroplasty is effective at relieving pain, optimizing movement, and improving function for patients with skeletal dysplasia; however, compared with the general population, there is a higher complication rate and function is not as good. Furthermore, this procedure is less effective at restoring health-related quality of life than total hip arthroplasty or total shoulder arthroplasty performed for osteoarthritis in the general population. Custom implants may be required to compensate for short stature and rotator cuff and glenoid deficiency.

A reverse shoulder arthroplasty with increased offset for the treatment of cuff-deficient shoulders with glenohumeral arthritis

Inherent disadvantages of reverse shoulder arthroplasty designs based on the Grammont concept have raised a renewed interest in less-medialised designs and techniques. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) with the fully-constrained, less-medialised, Bayley-Walker prosthesis performed for the treatment of rotator-cuff-deficient shoulders with glenohumeral arthritis. A total of 97 arthroplasties in 92 patients (53 women and 44 men, mean age 67 years (standard deviation (sd) 10, (49 to 85)) were retrospectively reviewed at a mean follow-up of 50 months ((sd 25) (24 to 96)). The mean Oxford shoulder score and subjective shoulder value improved from 47 (sd 9) and 24 points (sd 18) respectively before surgery to 28 (sd 11) and 61 (sd 24) points after surgery (p < 0.001). The mean pain at rest decreased from 5.3 (sd 2.8) to 1.5 (sd 2.3) (p < 0.001). The mean active forward elevation and external rotation increased from 42(°)(sd 30) and 9(°) (sd 15) respectively pre-operatively to 78(°) (sd 39) and 24(°) (sd 17) post-operatively (p < 0.001). A total of 20 patients required further surgery for complications; 13 required revision of components. No patient developed scapular notching. The Bayley-Walker prosthesis provides reliable pain relief and reasonable functional improvement for patients with symptomatic cuff-deficient shoulders. Compared with other designs of RSA, it offers a modest improvement in forward elevation, but restores external rotation to some extent and prevents scapular notching. A longer follow-up is required to assess the survival of the prosthesis and the clinical performance over time.

A survey of orthopaedic journal editors determining the criteria of manuscript selection for publication

BackgroundTo investigate the characteristics of editors and criteria used by orthopaedic journal editors in assessing submitted manuscripts.MethodsBetween 2008 to 2009 all 70 editors of Medline listed orthopaedic journals were approached prospectively with a questionnaire to determine the criteria used in assessing manuscripts for publication.ResultsThere was a 42% response rate. There was 1 female editor and the rest were male with 57% greater than 60 years of age. 67% of the editors worked in university teaching hospitals and 90% of publications were in English.The review process differed between journals with 59% using a review proforma, 52% reviewing an anonymised manuscript, 76% using a routine statistical review and 59% of journals used 2 reviewers routinely. In 89% of the editors surveyed, the editor was able to overrule the final decision of the reviewers.Important design factors considered for manuscript acceptance were that the study conclusions were justified (80%), that the statistical analysis was appropriate (76%), that the findings could change practice (72%). The level of evidence (70%) and type of study (62%) were deemed less important. When asked what factors were important in the manuscript influencing acceptance, 73% cited an understandable manuscript, 53% cited a well written manuscript and 50% a thorough literature review as very important factors.ConclusionsThe editorial and review process in orthopaedic journals uses different approaches. There may be a risk of language bias among editors of orthopaedic journals with under-representation of non-English publications in the orthopaedic literature.

Increased-offset reverse shoulder arthroplasty for the treatment of failed post-traumatic humeral head replacement.

BACKGROUND Late complications after humeral head replacement (HHR) for comminuted proximal humeral fractures are common and may necessitate revision surgery. This study evaluated the outcome of revision surgery of failed post-traumatic HHR with a less medialized reverse shoulder prosthesis. METHODS Thirty-three patients with failed post-traumatic HHR due to rotator-cuff insufficiency and glenoid erosion, but with sufficient preservation of the glenoid bone stock to permit primary stability of an inverted glenoid implant, underwent revision using the Bayley-Walker reverse shoulder prosthesis (Stanmore Implants, Elstree, UK) and were monitored up for a mean of 31 months. Outcome measures included the Oxford Shoulder Score, subjective shoulder value, pain rating, active range of motion, and shoulder radiographs. RESULTS The average postrevision Oxford Shoulder Score and subjective shoulder value improved from 50 ± 6 to 29 ± 11 and from 23 ± 19 to 51 ± 23, respectively (P < .001). Pain level decreased from 6.2 ± 2.1 to 1.4 ± 2.0 (P < .001). Active forward flexion increased from 34° ± 22° to 63° ± 30° and external rotation from 11° ± 14° to 20° ± 16°(P < .01). More patients were able to use their affected arm to reach a functional triangle consisting the mouth, opposite armpit, and ipsilateral buttock after revision (24% vs 73%; P < .001). Seven patients (21%) had postrevision complications. No glenoid loosening or scapular notching occurred. CONCLUSION Revision of failed post-traumatic HHR with the Bayley-Walker shoulder offers reliable pain relief and improvement in shoulder function with a complication rate similar to other reverse prostheses. Nevertheless, revision shoulder arthroplasty remains challenging with a high rate of complications.

Constrained fixed-fulcrum reverse shoulder arthroplasty improves functional outcome in epileptic patients with recurrent shoulder instability

AIM To report the results of fixed-fulcrum fully constrained reverse shoulder arthroplasty for the treatment of recurrent shoulder instability in patients with epilepsy. METHODS A retrospective review was conducted at a single facility. Cases were identified using a computerized database and all clinic notes and operative reports were reviewed. All patients with epilepsy and recurrent shoulder instability were included for study. Between July 2003 and August 2011 five shoulders in five consecutive patients with epilepsy underwent fixed-fulcrum fully constrained reverse shoulder arthroplasty for recurrent anterior shoulder instability. The mean duration of epilepsy in the cohort was 21 years (range, 5-51) and all patients suffered from grand mal seizures. RESULTS Mean age at the time of surgery was 47 years (range, 32-64). The cohort consisted of four males and one female. Mean follow-up was 4.7 years (range, 4.3-5 years). There were no further episodes of instability, and no further stabilisation or revision procedures were performed. The mean Oxford shoulder instability score improved from 8 preoperatively (range, 5-15) to 30 postoperatively (range, 16-37) (P = 0.015) and the mean subjective shoulder value improved from 20 (range, 0-50) preoperatively to 60 (range, 50-70) postoperatively (P = 0.016). Mean active forward elevation improved from 71° preoperatively (range, 45°-130°) to 100° postoperatively (range, 80°-90°) and mean active external rotation improved from 15° preoperatively (range, 0°-30°) to 40° (20°-70°) postoperatively. No cases of scapular notching or loosening were noted. CONCLUSION Fixed-fulcrum fully constrained reverse shoulder arthroplasty should be considered for the treatment of recurrent shoulder instability in patients with epilepsy.

Intraoperative nerve monitoring during total shoulder arthroplasty surgery

Background Nerve injury is an acknowledged complication of total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). Although the incidence of postoperative neurological deficit has been reported to be between 1% and 16%, the true incidence of nerve damage is considered to be higher. The present study aimed to identify the rate of intraoperative nerve injury during total shoulder arthroplasty and to determine potential risk factors. Methods A prospective study of nerve conduction in 21 patients who underwent primary or revision TSA was carried out over a 12-month period. Nerve conduction was monitored by measuring intraoperative sensory evoked potentials (SEP). A significant neurophysiological signal change was defined as either a unilateral or bilateral decrease in SEP signal of ≥50%, a latency increase of ≥10% or a change in waveform morphology, not caused by operative or anaesthetic technique. Results Seven (33%) patients had a SEP signal change. The only significant risk factor identified for signal change was male sex (odds ratio 15.00, 95% confidence interval). The median nerve was the most affected nerve in the operated arm. All but one signal change returned to normal before completion of the operation and no patient had a persisting postoperative clinical neurological deficit. Conclusions The incidence of intraoperative nerve damage may be more common than previously reported. However, the loss of SEP signal is reversible and does not correlate with persisting clinical neurological deficits. The median nerve appears to be most at risk. Monitoring SEPs in the operated limb during TSA may be a valuable tool during TSA.

The management of infected elbow arthroplasty by two-stage revision

BACKGROUND Deep prosthetic infection is a potentially devastating complication after total elbow arthroplasty, with an incidence of up to 12%. This study examined the demographics, microbiologic profile, and outcomes of infected total elbow arthroplasty treated with 2-stage revision in a tertiary referral unit. METHODS We identified 19 consecutive patients (mean age, 65 years) undergoing revision arthroplasty for deep prosthetic infection. All patients underwent a first-stage procedure with removal of implants, débridement, and insertion of an antibiotic-loaded cement spacer, followed by at least 6 weeks of intravenous antibiotics. Fourteen patients required a second-stage revision. RESULTS Five patients did not undergo a second-stage procedure because of patient choice (n = 2), medical or surgical risk factors (n = 2), and death from an unrelated cause (n = 1). Of the 19 patients undergoing a first-stage procedure, 16 (84%) remained infection free, and 11 of the 14 patients (79%) undergoing reimplantation of an elbow prosthesis remained infection free. Six patients required further surgery (3 for recurrent infection, 3 for noninfective indications). The commonest infecting organism was Staphylococcus aureus (47%). A degree of postoperative ulnar nerve dysfunction occurred in 37% of patients, but all resolved fully without further treatment. CONCLUSIONS Management of prosthetic joint infection using 2-stage revision can result in high rates of eradication, although rates of reoperation and transient ulnar nerve dysfunction are high.