Reza Omid

Supracondylar Humeral Fractures in Children

Operative fixation is indicated for most type-II and III supracondylar humeral fractures in order to prevent malunion. Medial comminution is a subtle finding that, if treated nonoperatively, is likely to lead to unacceptable varus malunion. Angiography is not indicated for a pulseless limb, as it delays fracture reduction, which usually corrects the vascular problem. A high index of suspicion is necessary to avoid missing an impending compartment syndrome, especially when there is a concomitant forearm fracture or when there is a median nerve injury, which may mask symptoms of compartment syndrome. Lateral entry pins have been shown, in biomechanical and clinical studies, to be as stable as cross pinning if they are well spaced at the fracture line, and they are not associated with the risk of iatrogenic ulnar nerve injury.

Relationship of Radiographic Acromial Characteristics and Rotator Cuff Disease: A Prospective Investigation of Clinical, Radiographic, and Sonographic Findings

BACKGROUND Many studies have attempted to correlate radiographic acromial characteristics with rotator cuff tears, but the results have not been conclusive. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between rotator cuff disease and the development of symptoms with different radiographic acromial characteristics, including shape, index, and presence of a spur. MATERIALS AND METHODS The records of 216 patients enrolled in an ongoing prospective, longitudinal study investigating asymptomatic rotator cuff tears were reviewed. All patients underwent standardized radiographic evaluation, clinical evaluation, and shoulder ultrasonography at regularly scheduled surveillance visits. Three blinded observers reviewed all radiographs to determine the acromial morphology, presence, and size of an acromial spur, as well as the acromial index. These findings were analyzed to determine an association with the presence of a full-thickness rotator cuff tear. RESULTS The 3 observers demonstrated poor agreement for acromial morphology (κ = 0.41), substantial agreement for the presence of an acromial spur (κ = 0.65), and excellent agreement for the acromial index (κ = 0.86). The presence of an acromial spur was highly associated with the presence of a full-thickness rotator cuff tear (P = .003), even after adjusting for age. No association was found between the acromial index and rotator cuff disease (P = .92). CONCLUSION The presence of an acromial spur is highly associated with the presence of a full-thickness rotator cuff tear in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. The acromial morphology classification system is an unreliable method to assess the acromion. The acromial index shows no association with the presence of rotator cuff disease.

Tendon transfers for irreparable rotator cuff tears.

&NA; Tendon transfer is one treatment option for patients with massive irreparable rotator cuff tears. Although surgical indications are not clearly defined, the traditional thought is that the ideal candidate is young and lacks significant glenohumeral arthritis. The proposed benefits of tendon transfers are pain relief and potential increase in strength. The biomechanical rationale for the procedure is to restore the glenohumeral joint force couple and possibly to restore normal shoulder kinematics. The selection of donor tendon depends on the location of the rotator cuff deficiency. Transfers of latissimus dorsi and pectoralis major tendons have been shown to consistently improve pain; however, functional benefits are unpredictable. Trapezius tendon transfer may be an alternative in patients with massive posterosuperior rotator cuff tears, although longer‐term follow‐up is required.

Serum interleukin-6 as a marker of periprosthetic shoulder infection.

BACKGROUND Infection after shoulder arthroplasty can be a devastating complication, and subacute and chronic low-grade infections have proven difficult to diagnose. Serum marker analyses commonly used to diagnose periprosthetic infection are often inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) as a marker of periprosthetic shoulder infection. METHODS A prospective cohort study of thirty-four patients who had previously undergone shoulder arthroplasty and required revision surgery was conducted. The serum levels of IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP), the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and the white blood-cell count (WBC) were measured. The definitive diagnosis of an infection was determined by growth of bacteria on culture of intraoperative specimens. Two-sample Wilcoxon rank-sum (Mann-Whitney) tests were used to determine the presence of a significant difference in the ESR and WBC between patients with and those without infection, while the Fisher exact test was used to assess differences in IL-6 and CRP levels between those groups. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of each marker were also calculated. RESULTS There was no significant difference in the IL-6 level, WBC, ESR, or CRP level between patients with and those without infection. With a normal serum IL-6 level defined as <10 pg/mL, this test had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of 0.14, 0.95, 0.67, 0.61, and 0.62, respectively. CONCLUSIONS IL-6 analysis may have utility as a confirmatory test but is not an effective screening tool for periprosthetic shoulder infection. This finding is in contrast to the observation, in previous studies, that IL-6 is more sensitive than traditional serum markers for periprosthetic infection.

Hemiarthroplasty for the treatment of distal humerus fractures: short-term clinical results.

Total elbow arthroplasty is the current gold standard of treatment for unreconstructable distal humerus fractures; however, longevity of the implant remains a concern in younger, more active patients. Distal humerus hemiarthroplasty offers an alternative and may allow for more durable results. The authors retrospectively evaluated the short-term clinical outcomes of 10 patients who underwent elbow hemiarthroplasty for distal humerus fractures. This short-term review suggests that distal humerus hemiarthroplasty may be an effective treatment for certain distal humerus fractures. Additional studies must be conducted to further define the role of elbow hemiarthroplasty for the treatment of complex fractures of the distal humerus.

Relation of the Radial Nerve to the Anterior Capsule of the Elbow: Anatomy With Correlation to Arthroscopy

PURPOSE To determine the location and proximity of the radial nerve to the anterior capsule and to delineate and describe the anatomy of the brachialis as it relates to the radial nerve and anterior capsule. METHODS Arthroscopy was performed on 24 cadavers using only a standard anteromedial portal. A Beath pin was placed laterally, entering the joint at the most lateral edge of the radiocapitellar joint space, and a suture was placed through the pin and into the joint for reference during the dissection. The second phase was to perform open anatomic dissections. RESULTS We found that in all specimens the radial nerve coursed longitudinally medial to the capitellum. The brachialis muscle was found to lie between the radial nerve and the joint capsule at the joint line and all proximal levels. Only at the most distal aspect of the joint line (corresponding to the level of the radial neck) did the nerve run in direct contact with the capsule in 11 specimens (55%). The brachialis muscle thickness was 4 mm or greater at the joint line and at all proximal measurement points. CONCLUSIONS We found that the radial nerve is more medially located than previously thought. At the level of the radiocapitellar joint line, the radial nerve runs medial to the capitellum. The brachialis muscle lies between the radial nerve and the joint capsule at the level of the joint line and proximally. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Arthroscopic capsular release laterally should be performed at the level of the joint line or above. The most dangerous area for capsular resection is distally over the radial head/neck, where 50% of our specimens had no brachialis protecting the nerve.

Lipoma arborescens of the biceps tendon sheath

Lipoma arborescens, described as lipomatous infiltration and distention of synovial villi resulting in a frond-like appearance, most frequently affects the suprapatellar recess of the knee. While there have been reports of this entity involving the upper extremity joints, bursa, and tendon sheaths, we present the first reported case of lipoma arborescens isolated to the biceps tendon sheath. We describe imaging and histologic findings with clinical correlation.

Preoperative risk factors for discharge to a postacute care facility after shoulder arthroplasty

BACKGROUND Shoulder arthroplasty procedures are becoming increasingly prevalent in the United States due to expanding indications and an aging population. Most patients are discharged home, but a subset of patients is discharged to a postacute care (PAC) facility. The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors for discharge to a PAC facility after shoulder arthroplasty. METHODS The Nationwide Inpatient Sample discharge records from 2011 to 2012 were analyzed for patients who underwent a total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) or reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA). Patient and hospital characteristics were identified. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to determine the statistically significant risk factors for discharge to a PAC facility while controlling for covariates. RESULTS In 2011 and 2012, 103,798 patients underwent shoulder arthroplasty procedures: 58,937 TSAs and 44,893 RTSAs were identified. RTSA patients were 1.3 times as likely to be discharged to a PAC facility as TSA patients (P = .001). Medicare patients were 2 times as likely to be discharged to a PAC facility than those with private insurance (P < .001). In addition, women and patients presenting with a fracture, older age, or an increasing number of medical comorbidities were more likely to be discharged to a PAC facility (P < .001). CONCLUSION The risk factors identified in our study can be used to stratify patients at high risk for postoperative discharge to PAC, allowing for greater improvement in overall care and the facilitation of postoperative discharge planning.

Mixing Implants of Differing Metallic Composition in the Treatment of Upper-extremity Fractures

Mixing implants with differing metallic compositions has been avoided for fear of galvanic corrosion and subsequent failure of the implants and of bone healing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate upper-extremity fractures treated with open reduction and internal fixation with metallic implants that differed in metallic composition placed on the same bone. The authors studied the effects of using both stainless steel and titanium implants on fracture healing, implant failure, and other complications associated with this method of fixation. Their hypothesis was that combining these metals on the same bone would not cause clinically significant nonunions or undo clinical effects from galvanic corrosion. A retrospective review was performed of 17 patients with upper-extremity fractures fixed with metal implants of differing metallic compositions. The primary endpoint was fracture union. Eight clavicles, 2 proximal humeri, 3 distal humeri, 3 olecranons, and 1 glenoid fracture with an average follow-up 10 months were reviewed. All fractures healed. One patient experienced screw backout, which did not affect healing. This study implies that mixing implants with differing metallic compositions on the same bone for the treatment of fractures does not adversely affect bone healing. No evidence existed of corrosion or an increase in complications with this method of treatment. Contrary to prior belief, small modular hand stainless steel plates can be used to assist in reduction of smaller fracture fragments in combination with anatomic titanium plates to obtain anatomic reduction of the fracture without adversely affecting healing.

Adult-acquired flatfoot deformity following posterior tibialis to dorsum transfer: a case report.

A previous study showed that flatfoot deformity does not develop after posterior tibialis to dorsum transfer in patients with peroneal nerve palsy. Their conclusion was that it is the unopposed pull of the peroneus brevis which leads to the flatfoot deformity in posterior tibial tendon dysfunction. This case report presents a patient who developed a flatfoot deformity after posterior tibialis to dorsum transfer despite nonfunctioning peroneal muscles.