Young-Kuk Lee

Clinical Outcomes of Rotator Cuff Repair With Arthroscopic Capsular Release and Manipulation for Rotator Cuff Tear With Stiffness: A Matched-Pair Comparative Study Between Patients With and Without Stiffness

PURPOSE To compare clinical outcomes after surgical treatment between rotator cuff tears with and without shoulder stiffness and evaluate the serial changes in pain intensity, functional scores, and range of motion (ROM). METHODS The study comprised 26 patients with preoperative stiffness (stiff group) and 26 patients without stiffness (non-stiff group). The stiff group underwent arthroscopic or mini-open rotator cuff repair with arthroscopic capsular release and manipulation. The non-stiff group with rotator cuff repair only was matched for age and sex with the stiff group. The visual analog scale (VAS) pain score; University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) score; American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score; and ROM were evaluated preoperatively; 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery; and at final follow-up. RESULTS Both groups had significant improvements in the VAS pain score, UCLA score, ASES score, and ROM at final follow-up. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups regarding VAS pain score, UCLA score, and ASES score at any period after surgery. In the stiff group, mean forward flexion was significantly lower than that in the non-stiff group at 3 months after surgery (143.1° v 154.2°, P = .003). Mean external rotation and internal rotation were significantly lower than those in the non-stiff group at 3 months after surgery (37.9° v 44.2°, P = .043, and 15.8 v 13.9, P < .001, respectively) and 6 months after surgery (49.1° v 57.3°, P = .002, and 13.2 v 12.0, P = .033, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Overall satisfactory clinical outcomes could be achieved in both the stiff and non-stiff groups, although the stiff group had slower postoperative recovery of ROM until 6 months after surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III, retrospective comparative study, prognosis study.

Popliteomeniscal Fascicle Tear: Diagnosis and Operative Technique

The occurrence and the consistency of the popliteomeniscal fascicle between the popliteus tendon and the lateral meniscus have been the subject of debate. It is difficult to diagnose and treat popliteomeniscal fascicle tears. Furthermore, popliteomeniscal fascicle tears are difficult to identify with arthroscopy. This article describes the diagnostic factors for popliteomeniscal fascicle tears and the safe, effective operative techniques that can be used for their treatment. We suggest that popliteomeniscal fascicle tears are diagnosed when the following 3 conditions are confirmed: (1) existence of mechanical symptoms such as pain, locking, and giving way in the lateral compartment of the knee; (2) identification of hypermobility of the lateral meniscus through arthroscopic probing; and (3) occurrence of an osteochondral lesion in the posterior area of the lateral femoral condyle. In the case of popliteomeniscal fascicle tears, the tear area can be repaired with a suture hook and polydioxanone with an all-inside technique. If the joint space is narrowing because of soft-tissue tightness, it can be repaired with a zone-specific cannula through an inside-out technique.

Effect of a sleep aid in analgesia after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects and safety of a sleep aid for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Materials and Methods Seventy-eight patients were prospectively assigned to either the zolpidem group (multimodal analgesia+zolpidem; 39 patients) or the control group (multimodal analgesia; 39 patients). Self-rated pain levels were assessed twice a day using a visual analog scale (VAS). The need for additional rescue analgesic, duration of functional recovery, and adverse effects were assessed for the first 5 days after surgery. Results The mean number of times that additional rescue analgesic was required during 5 days after surgery was 2.1±2.0 in the zolpidem group and 3.3±2.8 in the control group, a significant difference. There were no significant differences between the two groups in mean VAS pain scores during the first 5 days after surgery, although the zolpidem group had lower VAS pain scores than the control group. Additionally, there were no significant differences in duration of functional recovery and adverse effects between the two groups. Conclusion The use of zolpidem for analgesia after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair provided a significant reduction in the need for rescue analgesic without increasing adverse effects. Nevertheless, mean VAS pain scores during the first 5 days after surgery did not differ between the zolpidem group and the control group.

ARTHROSCOPIC DIRECT REPAIR FOR RADIAL TEAR OF THE TRIANGULAR FIBROCARTILAGE COMPLEX

Although various repair techniques for Palmer type 1B lesions of the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) have been introduced, arthroscopic repair techniques for Palmer type 1D lesions are still being honed. Until recently, inside-out techniques have commonly been used to repair radial tears of the TFCC. However, that technique has the disadvantages of a requirement for an extra skin incision, pain resulting from prominent subcutaneous suture knot stacks, and peripheral nerve injury. We describe an all-arthroscopic direct-repair technique using a suture hook with 2-0 polydioxanone that is relatively simple and safe and is thus a useful alternative for radial tears of the TFCC.