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The purpose of this study was to assess racial disparities in total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) in the US and to determine whether these disparities were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 100% sample was used to examine primary TSA volume from April-December from 2019-2020. Utilization was assessed for White/Black/Hispanic/Asian populations to determine if COVID-19 affected these groups differently. A regression model adjusted for age/sex/CMS-Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCC) score, dual enrollment (proxy for socioeconomic status), time fixed effects, and Core-based Statistical Area (CBSA) fixed effects was used to study difference across groups.In 2019, TSA volume/1000 beneficiaries was 1.51 for White and 0.57 for non-White, a 2.6-fold difference. In 2020, the rate of TSA in White patients (1.30/1000) was 2.9 times higher than non-White (0.45/1000) during the COVID-19 pandemic (P0.01). There was an overall 14% decrease in TSA volume/1000 Medicare beneficiaries in 2020; non-White patients had a larger percentage decrease in TSA volume than White (21% vs. 14%, estimated difference;8.7%,p = 0.02). Black patients experienced the most pronounced disparity with estimated difference of 10.1%,p = 0.05, compared with White patients. Similar disparities were observed when categorizing procedures into anatomic and reverse TSA, but not proximal humerus fracture.During the COVID-19 pandemic, overall TSA utilization decreased by 14% with White patients experiencing a decrease of 14%, and non-White patients experiencing a decrease of 21%. This trend was observed for elective TSA while disparities were less apparent for proximal humerus fracture.

COVID-19 triggered disruption in the conventional care pathways for many orthopedic procedures. The current study aims to quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on shoulder arthroplasty hospital surgical volume, trends in surgical case distribution, length of hospitalization, posthospital disposition, and 30-day readmission rates.This study queried all Medicare (100% sample) fee-for-service beneficiaries who underwent a shoulder arthroplasty procedure (Diagnosis-Related Group code 483, Current Procedural Terminology code 23472) from January 1, 2019, to December 18, 2020. Fracture cases were separated from nonfracture cases, which were further subdivided into anatomic or reverse arthroplasty. Volume per 1000 Medicare beneficiaries was calculated from April to December 2020 and compared to the same months in 2019. Length of stay (LOS), discharged-home rate, and 30-day readmission for the same period were obtained. The yearly difference adjusted for age, sex, race (white vs. nonwhite), Centers for MedicareMedicaid Services Hierarchical Condition Category risk score, month fixed effects, and Core-Based Statistical Area fixed effects, with standard errors clustered at the provider level, was calculated using a multivariate analysis (P .05).A total of 49,412 and 41,554 total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) cases were observed April through December for 2019 and 2020, respectively. There was an overall decrease in shoulder arthroplasty volume per 1000 Medicare beneficiaries by 14% (19% reduction in anatomic TSA, 13% reduction in reverse shoulder arthroplasty, and 3% reduction in fracture cases). LOS for all shoulder arthroplasty cases decreased by 16% (-0.27 days, P .001) when adjusted for confounders. There was a 5% increase in the discharged-home rate (88.0% to 92.7%, P .001), which was most prominent in fracture cases, with a 20% increase in discharged-home cases (65.0% to 73.4%, P .001). There was no significant change in 30-day hospital readmission rates overall (P = .20) or when broken down by individual procedures.There was an overall decrease in shoulder arthroplasty volume per 1000 Medicare beneficiaries by 14% during the COVID-19 pandemic. A decrease in LOS and increase in the discharged-home rates was also observed with no significant change in 30-day hospital readmission, indicating that a shift toward an outpatient surgical model can be performed safely and efficiently and has the potential to provide value.

Tranexamic acid (TXA) has been used surgically to decrease blood loss. The ability of TXA to improve arthroscopic visualization and allow for reduction in pump pressure is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of intravenous (IV) TXA on change in pump pressure and visualization during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.This was a single-center, prospective, randomized, double-anonymized controlled trial. Patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tears undergoing operative repair were enrolled. Patients were randomized to receive 1 g of IV TXA preoperatively or no TXA (control group). All patients underwent arthroscopy using saline irrigation fluid with 3 mL epinephrine injected into the first 1000-mL saline bag. Total operative time, final pump pressure, number of increases in pump pressure, total amount of irrigation fluid used, blood pressure and anesthesia medical interventions for blood pressure were recorded. Visualization was measured by a visual analog scale (VAS) completed by the surgeon at the end of the case. Postoperative VAS pain scores were obtained 24 hours after surgery. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the effect that IV TXA has on change in pump pressure (ΔP) during shoulder arthroscopy, with a ΔP of 15 mm Hg set as a threshold for clinical significance.There were 50 patients randomized to the TXA group and 50 patients in the no TXA group. No significant differences were found between the TXA group and the control group regarding any measure of pump pressure, including the final arthroscopic fluid pump pressure (44.5 ± 8.1 mm Hg vs. 42.0 ± 8.08 mm Hg, P = .127), the mean ΔP (20.9 ± 10.5 mm Hg vs. 21.8 ± 8.5 mm Hg, P = .845), or the number of times a change in pump pressure was required (1.7 ± 0.9 vs. 1.7 ± 0.8, P = .915). Overall arthroscopic visualization was not significantly different between the TXA group and the control group (7.2 ± 1.8 vs. 7.4 ± 1.6, P = .464). No significant difference existed between the TXA and control groups regarding postoperative pain scores assessed by VAS pain scale (4.1 ± 2.0 vs. 4.3 ± 1.9, P = .519) at 24 hours after surgery.The use of IV TXA demonstrated no measurable improvement in surgeon ability to maintain a lower pump pressure during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Additionally, there was no measurable improvement in arthroscopic visualization or early pain scores.

Background The number of primary and revision shoulder arthroplasties performed each year continues to increase. Relative value units (RVUs) are currently used by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to determine physician reimbursement based on time, effort, and complexity of services rendered. Compared to primary shoulder arthroplasty, revision shoulder arthroplasties are often more technically challenging, have longer operative times, and pose a greater risk of intraoperative and postoperative complications. This study aims to compare surgeon reimbursement between primary and revision shoulder arthroplasty. Methods Utilizing a single institution shoulder arthroplasty database, we identified patients who underwent primary or revision shoulder arthroplasty between February 2011 and December 2013 by a single shoulder and elbow fellowship trained surgeon with over 20 years of experience at the time of data collection. The RVUs for primary and revision shoulder arthroplasty were obtained from the CMS Physician Fee schedule. Physician reimbursement for primary and revision shoulder arthroplasty was calculated using the CMS RVU to dollar conversion factor of $34.8921 per RVU. The RVU was divided by operative time to calculate an RVU/min for primary and revision shoulder arthroplasty. Monetary reimbursement per minute, case, day, and year was subsequently calculated. Results A total of 190 primary and 100 revision shoulder arthroplasties were performed during the study period. Mean RVU for primary shoulder arthroplasty was 22.13 ± 0.00 vs. 26.24 ± 1.10 for revision shoulder arthroplasty (P Conclusion While the RVU/case is higher for revision shoulder arthroplasty, the difference does not account for the additional operative time and complexity compared to primary shoulder arthroplasty. In light of this data, the current RVU reimbursement model should be reevaluated to account for these differences between primary and revision shoulder arthroplasty. Level of Evidence Level III; Retrospective Comparative Study

Background Anecdotally there is a spectrum of complexity in performing shoulder arthroplasty, however, there is limited information to predict easy versus difficult cases. The purpose of this study was to identify clinical and radiographic factors that are associated with difficult primary shoulder arthroplasty. Methods All consecutive primary shoulder arthroplasties performed by one-of-five high-volume shoulder and elbow fellowship-trained surgeons from 4/2018-8/2018 were included. Mean (range) surgeon years in practice was 19.4 (6-29). Surgeons completed a preoperative questionnaire estimating the level of complexity in performing the operation from very easy, easy, average, difficult, and very difficult. The same questionnaire was completed immediately postoperatively regarding level of complexity. Difficult group was defined if the surgeon rated as difficult or very difficult on the postoperative questionnaire. If the procedure was difficult, the postoperative questionnaire assessed what aspect of the procedure made it difficult. Demographics, clinical and radiographic factors, and procedure time were collected. Results During the study period, 224 primary shoulder arthroplasties were performed (53% reverse, 44% anatomic, 3% hemiarthroplasty with concentric glenoid reaming). Difficult group consisted of 95 shoulder arthroplasties (42.4%). Difficult group procedure time was a mean 21.8 minutes longer (120.7 ± 3.1 min vs. 98.9 ± 2.4 min; P Discussion and conclusion For experienced high-volume shoulder and elbow surgeons performing primary shoulder arthroplasty, cases that were unexpectedly difficult were associated with younger age, males, stiffness, history of instability, large inferior humeral head osteophyte, and posterior glenoid bone loss. Difficulty with glenoid reaming and glenoid component implantation were the most frequent reason for difficult cases. This information may allow surgeons to anticipate difficult cases, appropriately schedule their operative day, and identify potentially difficult cases that warrant referral to high-volume shoulder arthroplasty surgeon. Level of evidence Level III; Prospective Case-Control Study

Background The use of physician review websites by patients is increasingly frequent. One potential way for shoulder and elbow surgeons to enhance their online reputation and attract patients is via social media, yet its impact is unknown. This study sought to analyze the effect of social media use on the number of online ratings and overall rating of shoulder and elbow surgeons. We secondarily studied variables affecting social media use. Methods The American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons directory was probed to identify practicing surgeons. Surgeon evaluation data, including ratings, comments, and reviews, were compiled from 3 physician review websites (Google, Healthgrades, and Vitals). Google was queried to assess for a professional Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram account, as well as obtain information on surgeon training, practice location, and other demographic variables. Results A total of 646 surgeons met the inclusion criteria (93.8% male and 6.2% female surgeons). Overall, 37% had a professional social media account (Facebook, 23.1%; Twitter, 24.1%; and Instagram, 9.4%). Linear regression analysis showed that Facebook use correlated with an average increase of 48.6 in the number of ratings. No social media platform correlated with physician rating. The surgeons more likely to use social media were those who graduated residency in 2000 or later (40.8% vs. 29.2%), those who practiced in cities with higher populations (mean, 1188.9 vs. 708.4 [per 1000]), and those with more surgeons practicing in the same city (mean, 7.0 vs. 5.0). Conclusion The majority of shoulder and elbow surgeons do not have a professional social media account. Those using this platform are younger and located in more populous cities with more competition. Having a professional social media profile was not correlated with ratings, but there was a positive association with the number of online ratings, and Facebook had the strongest association. Surgeon ratings are overwhelmingly positive with minimal variability; therefore, a high number of ratings confirms a surgeon’s exceptional reputation. The residency graduation year, city population, and number of nearby surgeons affected ratings, although the absolute differences were minimal. For shoulder and elbow surgeons, a professional social media account correlates with an increase in the number of online physician ratings. Recent graduates practicing in competitive locations may feel increased pressure to leverage this in an attempt to build their practices.

Acromial (ASF) and scapular spine (SSF) stress fractures are well-recognized complications of reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA), but much of the current data are derived from single-center or single-implant studies with limited generalizability. This study from the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) Complications of Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty Multicenter Research Group determined the incidence of ASF/SSF after RSA and identified preoperative patient characteristics associated with their occurrence.Fifteen institutions including 21 ASES members across the United States participated in this study. Patients undergoing either primary or revision RSA between January 2013 and June 2019 with a minimum 3-month follow-up were included. All definitions and inclusion criteria were determined using the Delphi method, an iterative survey process involving all primary investigators. Consensus was achieved when at least 75% of investigators agreed on each aspect of the study protocol. Only symptomatic ASF/SSF diagnosed by radiograph or computed tomography were considered. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with ASF/SSF development.We identified 6755 RSAs with an average follow-up of 19.8 months (range, 3-94). The total stress fracture incidence rate was 3.9% (n = 264), of which 3.0% (n = 200) were ASF and 0.9% (n = 64) were SSF. Fractures occurred at an average 8.2 months (0-64) following RSA with 21.2% (n = 56) following a trauma. Patient-related factors independently predictive of ASF were chronic dislocation (odds ratio [OR] 3.67, P = .04), massive rotator cuff tear without arthritis (OR 2.51, P.01), rotator cuff arthropathy (OR 2.14, P.01), self-reported osteoporosis (OR 2.21, P.01), inflammatory arthritis (OR 2.18, P.01), female sex (OR 1.51, P = .02), and older age (OR 1.02 per 1-year increase, P = .02). Factors independently associated with the development of SSF included osteoporosis (OR 2.63, P.01), female sex (OR 2.34, P = .01), rotator cuff arthropathy (OR 2.12, P = .03), and inflammatory arthritis (OR 2.05, P = .03).About 1 in 26 patients undergoing RSA will develop a symptomatic ASF or SSF, more frequently within the first year of surgery. Our results indicate that severe rotator cuff disease may play an important role in the occurrence of stress fractures following RSA. This information can be used to counsel patients about potential setbacks in recovery, especially among older women with suboptimal bone health. Strategies for prevention of ASF and SSF in these at-risk patients warrant further study. A follow-up study evaluating the impact of prosthetic factors on the incidence rates of ASF and SSF may prove highly valuable in the decision-making process.

Background Limiting opioid use in perioperative pain management is currently an important focus in orthopedic surgery. The ability of acetaminophen to reduce postoperative opioid consumption while providing acceptable pain management has not been thoroughly investigated in patients undergoing rotator cuff repair (RCR). Methods Patients undergoing primary arthroscopic RCR were prospectively randomized to 1 of 3 treatment groups: Group 1 (control) received both 5 mg of oxycodone every 6 hours as needed and 1000 mg of acetaminophen orally every 6 hours as needed after surgery and had the option to take either medication or both. Group 2 (control) received only 5 mg of oxycodone every 6 hours as needed without any additional acetaminophen after surgery. Group 3 received 1000 mg of acetaminophen orally every 6 hours for 1 day prior to and after surgery, which was subsequently decreased to administration every 8 hours during postoperative days 2-5. Group 3 patients were also allowed to take 5 mg of oxycodone every 6 hours as needed after surgery. All patients received interscalene blocks with liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel). Opioid use, pain scores, side effects, and overall satisfaction were assessed daily for the first week after surgery. Results A total of 57 patients (mean age, 57.8 ± 9.55 years) were included in this study. Baseline demographic characteristics including age, sex, and body mass index were similar between the groups (P > .05). Patients in group 3 took significantly fewer narcotics overall (P = .017) and took significantly fewer pills each day compared with group 2. Group 3 also reported significantly better overall pain control compared with the other groups (P = .040). There were no significant differences in overall patient satisfaction between the groups (P > .05). Additionally, there were no significant differences between groups regarding postoperative medication-associated side effects (P > .05). Conclusion Perioperative acetaminophen represents an important component of multimodal analgesia in appropriately selected patients undergoing shoulder surgery. In this study, the use of perioperative acetaminophen significantly decreased opioid consumption and improved overall pain control after primary arthroscopic RCR.

BACKGROUND Despite the routine use of plain radiographs to stratify the severity of glenohumeral osteoarthritis, little is known about the relationship between radiographic measures and patient-perceived pain and function. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES (1) What radiographic findings are associated with worse pain and function in patients with glenohumeral osteoarthritis? (2) What demographic factors are associated with worse pain and function in patients with glenohumeral osteoarthritis? METHODS This retrospective study included patients presenting for an initial office visit for primary glenohumeral osteoarthritis. Patients with other concurrent shoulder pathologic findings, prior surgery, lack of pain and functional scores, recent injection, or inadequate radiographs were excluded. Between January 2017 and January 2019, 3133 patients were eligible based on these inclusion criteria; 59% (1860) had outcome assessments and 48% (893) of those had radiographs. An additional 42% (378) of those with radiographs were excluded because of other shoulder findings, recent injection, prior surgery, or inadequate radiographs, leaving 16% (515 of 3133) who were fully analyzed in this study. A radiographic review included the joint space width, posterior humeral head subluxation, inferior humeral head osteophyte size, cystic change, and head asphericity. Additionally, radiographic arthritis was classified according to the Walch, Samilson-Prieto, and Kellgren-Lawrence classifications by two separate reviewers. Radiographic and demographic criteria as well as the presence of psychologic or mental illness were correlated with VAS Pain (range 1-10; minimal clinically important difference [MCID] 1.6), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES; range 0-100; MCID 13.6), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE; range 0-100; MCID 14), and Simple Shoulder Test (SST; range 0-12; MCID 1.5) scores using univariate and multivariable regression analyses. RESULTS After accounting for age, gender, and psychologic illness in the multivariable analysis, we found that patients with Samilson-Prieto Grade 4 arthrosis had lower VAS Pain scores (β = -1.9; p = 0.02) than those with Grade 0 or 1 did; however, no clinically important associations were found between Samilson-Prieto Grade 4 and ASES (β = 7; p = 0.25), SANE (β = 4; p = 0.63), or SST (β = 0.5; p = 0.62) scores. No clinically important associations were found between Kellgren-Lawrence Grade 3 and VAS Pain (β = 1.4; p = 0.10), ASES (β = -8; p = 0.22), SANE (β = -13; p = 0.11), or SST scores (β = 0.4; p = 0.66). Radiographic joint space and posterior subluxation also did not have any clinically important associations with VAS Pain or functional scores. In assessing Walch glenoid type, there was no clinically important association between glenoid type and VAS Pain (F = 3.1; p < 0.01), ASES (F = 1.9; p = 0.15), SANE (F = 0.45; p = 0.66), or SST scores (F = 0.76; p = 0.71). Men had higher SST scores than women did (β = 2.0; p < 0.01), but there were no clinically important differences in VAS Pain (β = -0.4; p = 0.04), ASES (β = 6; p < 0.01), or SANE (β = 4; p = 0.07) scores. No clinically important association was found between age or the presence of any psychologic illness and VAS Pain or functional scores. CONCLUSION In patients with glenohumeral arthritis, no consistent clinically important differences in pain or function were discovered with respect to radiographic or demographic factors. Surgeons should understand that the pain levels of patients with glenohumeral arthritis may not parallel radiographic severity. Future studies can build on these findings by examining other non-radiographic or demographic factors that affect pain in patients with shoulder arthritis, such as psychological factors. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III, prognostic study.

Background: Impaired healing after rotator cuff repair is a major concern, with retear rates as high as 94%. A method to predict whether patients are likely to experience poor surgical outcomes would change clinical practice. While various patient factors, such as age and tear size, have been linked to poor functional outcomes, it is currently very challenging to predict outcomes before surgery. Purpose: To evaluate gene expression differences in tissue collected during surgery between patients who ultimately went on to have good outcomes and those who experienced a retear, in an effort to determine if surgical outcomes can be predicted. Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Rotator cuff tissue was collected at the time of surgery from 140 patients. Patients were tracked for a minimum of 6 months to identify those with good or poor outcomes, using clinical functional scores and follow-up magnetic resonance imaging to confirm failure to heal or retear. Gene expression differences between 8 patients with poor outcomes and 28 patients with good outcomes were assessed using a multiplex gene expression analysis via NanoString and a custom-curated panel of 145 genes related to various stages of rotator cuff healing. Results: Although significant differences in the expression of individual genes were not observed, gene set enrichment analysis highlighted major differences in gene sets. Patients who had poor healing outcomes showed greater expression of gene sets related to extracellular matrix production ( P < .0001) and cellular biosynthetic pathways ( P < .001), while patients who had good healing outcomes showed greater expression of genes associated with the proinflammatory (M1) macrophage phenotype ( P < .05). Conclusion: These results suggest that a more proinflammatory, fibrotic environment before repair may play a role in poor healing outcome. With validation in a larger cohort, these results may ultimately lead to diagnostic methods to preoperatively predict those at risk for poor surgical outcomes.

Background Degenerative disease of the elbow is a unique dilemma due to the different pathologies of arthritis. Outcome measures are used by physicians to provide a quantitative measure of patient progression. While there has been a substantial number of case series and studies on treatment of elbow arthritis, the heterogeneity of outcome measures reported in the literature makes it difficult for surgeons to compare results between treatment options. There is no consensus on outcome measure reporting as no measure has been found to be superior to others in the literature. The purpose of this study was to examine the elbow arthritis literature for the most commonly reported outcomes measures after treatment of elbow arthritis and recommend a guideline for reporting in future studies in an attempt to standardize the literature. Methods A query was performed of all studies written in English literature from 2010 to 2020 using PubMed and Scopus databases utilizing PRISMA guidelines. Articles that met inclusion criteria were reviewed for reporting of patient-reported outcome, range of motion, return to work/sport, complication rate, satisfaction rate, revision rate, number of patients, minimum and mean follow-up time, type of treatment, journal, journal impact factor, level of evidence, and number of citations as of April 2020. Results Eighty three studies met inclusion criteria with a mean number of 39 patients per study with a mean age of 53 years. Mayo elbow performance score (MEPS) was the most commonly reported outcome measure (81%) followed by quick Disabilities of Arm Shoulder Hand (qDASH; 23%), DASH (16%), and modified American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score (m-ASES; 16%). The average number of outcome measures per study was 1.6. Studies that reported MEPS had higher number of citations compared to studies that did not (14.21 vs. 7.62 citations; P = .031). Studies that reported MEPS were found to publish more in journals with higher impact factors (ie, impact factor of ≥2) (88% vs. 71%; P = .051). Discussion Outcome measures are inconsistently reported in elbow arthritis literature. Studies that report MEPS were found to be cited more. We recommend reporting of at least two outcome measures in future studies as well as range of motion for easier cross-study analysis. Additional measures such as return to work/sport, satisfaction rate, complication rate, and revision rate should be reported to provide more complete understanding of post-treatment outcome. Conclusion Increased standardization of outcome measure reporting may improve future patients’ outcomes following treatment of elbow arthritis. Levels of Evidence Level IV

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) events are infrequent but potentially catastrophic complications following orthopedic surgery. There is currently a paucity of evidence regarding the role of chemoprophylaxis with low-dose aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid [ASA]) after shoulder arthroplasty.We conducted a retrospective review of prospectively collected complications occurring within 90 days of 2394 primary shoulder arthroplasties performed over a 3-year period at a single institution. Patients preoperatively underwent risk stratification into medically high risk, moderate risk, or low risk as part of a standardized navigated-care pathway. For chemoprophylaxis, 81 mg of ASA (low dose) was routinely used once daily for 6 weeks unless alternative medications were deemed necessary by the medical team. Baseline demographic information, medical comorbidities, and postoperative VTE prophylaxis, as well as rates of clinically symptomatic VTE, were assessed.Symptomatic VTE occurred after 0.63% of primary shoulder arthroplasties (15 of 2394). There were 9 patients with deep vein thromboses and 6 with pulmonary embolisms. Eighty-one milligrams of ASA was used in 2141 patients (89.4%), resulting in an overall VTE rate of 0.56%. Medically high-risk patients were significantly more likely to have a VTE (P = .018). Patients with a history of deep vein thrombosis, asthma, and cardiac arrhythmia were significantly more likely to have a VTE (P.05). Complications occurred in 4 patients (0.19%) associated with low-dose ASA and 1 patient (0.63%) associated with a novel oral anticoagulant medication.Routine use of low-dose ASA results in a very low risk of VTE and medication-associated complications following primary shoulder arthroplasty. Preoperative medical risk stratification can potentially identify patients at high risk of postoperative VTE.

The Latarjet procedure is an effective procedure for the treatment of anterior glenohumeral joint instability; however, the complications are concerning. The purpose of this study was to review a single institution's experience with the Latarjet procedure for recurrent anterior glenohumeral instability specifically focusing on early complications.This was a retrospective review of all Latarjet procedures performed at a single institution from August 2008 to July 2018. The 90-day complication rate and associated risk factors for all complications and graft failure were recorded. Postoperative radiographs were reviewed for coracoid graft position and screw divergence.During the study period, 190 Latarjet procedures were performed with 90-day follow-up. The average age was 28.7 ± 11.3 years, male patients comprised 84.2% of the population, and 62.6% of patients had undergone a prior stabilization procedure. We observed 15 complications, for a 90-day complication rate of 9.0%; of the patients, 8 (4.2%) underwent reoperations. Graft or hardware failure occurred in 9 patients (4.7%) with loosened or broken screws, and 6 required reoperations (revision Latarjet procedure in 4, distal tibia allograft in 1, and iliac crest autograft in 1). Fixation with only 1 screw (P.001) and an increased screw divergence angle (37° ± 8° vs. 24° ± 11°, P = .0257) were statistically associated with graft failure, whereas the use of cannulated screws (P = .487) was not. There were 6 nerve injuries (3.2%), including 2 combined axillary and suprascapular nerve injuries, 1 musculocutaneous nerve injury, 1 brachial plexopathy, 1 peripheral sensory nerve deficit (likely axillary), and 1 sensory plexopathy. Suprascapular nerve injury at the spinoglenoid notch was associated with a longer superior screw (41.0 ± 1.4 mm vs. 33.5 ± 3.5 mm, P = .035) and increased screw divergence angle (40° ± 6° vs. 24° ± 11°, P = .0197). The coracoid graft was correctly positioned in the axial plane in 71% of cases and in the coronal plane in 73% of cases.The Latarjet procedure is a procedure that can reliably restore shoulder stability; however, graft- and nerve-related complications are relatively common. Two-thirds of the graft failures required reoperations, and half of the nerve injuries in this study led to residual symptoms. Fixation with only 1 screw and an increased screw divergence angle were significant predictors of graft failure. Suprascapular nerve injury at the spinoglenoid notch was associated with an increased screw divergence angle and longer superior screw.

Background Humeral stem designs for total shoulder arthroplasty have varied over the years, with a recent trend toward shorter stems. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of humeral component stem length on the ability to restore the native humeral head anatomy. Methods We performed a retrospective review including patients who underwent total shoulder arthroplasty for primary osteoarthritis between 2007 and 2017 with complete operative reports and adequate radiographs. Surgical data including stem design were collected. Preoperative and postoperative radiographic measurements of the center of rotation (COR), humeral head height (HH), and neck-shaft angle were performed. Restoration of the native humeral anatomy was deemed “acceptable” based on postoperative differences in the COR ≤ 3 mm, HH ≤ 5 mm, and neck-shaft angle > 130°. Deviations between preoperative and postoperative measurements were compared across stem types. All available 2-year stemless implant radiographs were also analyzed. Results In total, 261 patients were included, with 31 stemless, 43 short-stem, and 187 standard-stem implants. There was no significant difference in COR restoration in the x-axis direction (P = .060) or y-axis direction (P = .579). There was no significant difference in restoration of acceptable HH by stem type (P = .339). Stemless arthroplasty implants were more likely to be placed in varus (22.6%) compared with short-stem (7.0%) and standard-stem (3.7%) designs (P Conclusion Restoration of humeral anatomic parameters occurred significantly less with stemless implants than with short- and standard-stem implants. The stem of a shoulder arthroplasty implant aids surgeons in accurately restoring patient-specific anatomy.

Background This study was conducted to determine if there is an association between an intraoperative glenohumeral synovitis score (GHSS) and postoperative shoulder stiffness in patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR). Methods Intraoperative GHSS was collected retrospectively from standardized arthroscopic images on consecutive patients undergoing primary ARCR. Range of motion was collected preoperatively and postoperatively at 3 and 6 months. Results 290 consecutive patients underwent primary ARCR. At three-months follow-up, 32 (11.0%) patients had glenohumeral stiffness. Patients with stiffness had significantly higher mean GHSS. Conclusion Higher intraoperative GHSS was associated with early postoperative shoulder stiffness at three-months after ARCR.

Background The true incidence of iatrogenic neurological injury following total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) surgery remains controversial at a cited rate of 1%-18.7%. Additionally, there is a reported incidence of new onset distal peripheral neuropathy (DPN) of 7.1% and 12.3%, for anatomic (aTSA) and reverse (rTSA) shoulder replacements, respectively. The purpose of this present study is to report on nerve injury rates of a large, consecutive series of primary TSA (ie, rTSA and aTSA) performed by one surgeon, utilizing intraoperative neuromonitoring and consistent implant design. Methods A retrospective cohort review of consecutive patients who underwent primary TSA was performed from January 2016 to March 2020. Intraoperative neuromonitoring data included transcranial electrical motor evoked potentials (MEPs), somatosensory evoked potentials, and free-run electromyography. Motor alert threshold was set at ≥ 80% signal attenuation in any one or more peripheral nerves. Patients were screened for neurological deficits immediately following surgery and in the first 2 postoperative visits. Additional data collection included surgical indication, gender, laterality, age at surgery, procedure performed, body mass index, history of tobacco use, Charlson comorbidity index, past medical history and preoperative range of motion. Results A total of 290 consecutive shoulders in 270 patients were included. Ninety-one (31.4%) shoulders underwent aTSA, while 199 (68.6%) underwent rTSA. Patients in the rTSA cohort were significantly older (70.1 vs. 61.3 years; P Conclusion In 290 surgeries, no (0%) patients had a postoperative major or minor nerve injury, and 9 (3.1%) patients complained of postoperative distal peripheral neuropathy. Patients that had MEP alerts had significantly longer operative times and were more likely to be in the aTSA group compared to the rTSA group. This may be attributed to longer exposure and implantation times on the glenoid side for an anatomic as opposed to a reverse arthroplasty. Level of evidence Level III; Retrospective Cohort study.

Background Total shoulder arthroplasty is an accepted treatment for glenohumeral osteoarthritis. The Arthrex Eclipse shoulder prosthesis is a stemless, canal-sparing humeral prosthesis with bone ingrowth capacity on the trunnion, as well as through the fenestrated hollow screw, that provides both diaphyseal and metaphyseal load sharing and fixation. Methods Between 2013 and 2018, 16 sites in the United States enrolled 327 patients (Eclipse in 237 and Arthrex Univers II in 90). All patients had glenohumeral arthritis refractory to nonsurgical care. Strict exclusion criteria were applied to avoid confounding factors such as severe patient comorbidities, arthritis not consistent with osteoarthritis, and medical or prior surgical treatments that may have affected outcomes. Patients were randomized to the Eclipse or Univers II group via block randomization. Results In total, 149 Eclipse and 76 Univers II patients reached 2-year follow-up (139 Eclipse patients [93.3%] and 68 Univers II patients [89.5%] had complete data). The success rate using the Composite Clinical Success score was 95% in the Eclipse group vs. 89.7% in the Univers II group. No patient exhibited radiographic evidence of substantial humeral radiolucency, humeral migration, or subsidence at any point. Reoperations were performed in 7 patients (3.2%) in the Eclipse group and 3 (3.8%) in the Univers II group. Conclusion The Arthrex Eclipse shoulder prosthesis is a safe and effective humeral implant for patients with glenohumeral arthritis at 2-year follow-up, with no differences in outcomes compared with the Univers II shoulder prosthesis.

Improving management of postoperative pain following shoulder surgery is vital for optimizing patient outcomes, length of stay, and decreasing addiction to narcotic medications. Multimodal analgesia (ie, controlling pain via multiple different analgesic methods with differing mechanisms) is an ever-evolving approach to enhancing pain control perioperatively after shoulder surgery. With a variety of options for the shoulder surgeon to turn to, this article succinctly reviews the pros and cons of each approach and proposes a potential pain management algorithm.

The American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons multicenter taskforce studying proximal humerus fractures reached no consensus on which outcome measures to include in future studies, and currently no gold standard exists. Knowledge of commonly used outcome measures will allow standardization, enabling more consistent proximal humerus fracture treatment comparison. This study identifies the most commonly reported outcome measures for proximal humerus fracture management in recent literature.A systematic review identified all English-language articles assessing proximal humerus fractures from 2008 to 2018 using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Review articles, meta-analyses, revision surgery, chronic injuries, studies with15 patients, studies with12 month follow-up, anatomic/biomechanical studies, and technique articles were excluded. Included studies were assessed for patient demographics and outcome scores, patient satisfaction, complications, range of motion, and strength.Of 655 articles, 74 met inclusion criteria. The number of proximal humerus fractures averaged 74.2 per study (mean patient age, 65.6 years). Mean follow-up was 30.7 months. Neer type 1, 2, 3, and 4 fractures were included in 8%, 51%, 81%, and 88% of studies, respectively. Twenty-two patient-reported outcome instruments were used including the Constant-Murley score (65%), Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score (31%), visual analog scale pain (27%), and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score (18%). An average of 2.2 measures per study were reported.Considerable variability exists in the use of outcome measures across the proximal humerus fracture literature, making treatment comparison challenging. We recommend that future literature on proximal humerus fractures use at least 3 outcomes measures and 1 general health score until the optimal scores are determined.

Introduction Critical shoulder angle (CSA) has been shown to influence rates of rotator cuff tears and glenohumeral arthritis with larger CSA associated with rotator cuff tears and smaller CSA associated with glenohumeral arthritis. There has been no study to determine whether such radiographic measurement influences the function of patients with demonstrated cuff tear arthropathy (CTA). The purpose of this study was to examine whether smaller CSAs were associated with greater range of motion (ROM) in patients diagnosed with cuff tear arthropathy (CTA). Materials and Methods Ninety-three patients with a diagnosis of CTA with adequate anteroposterior shoulder radiographs were obtained. Patient demographics were recorded. Presence of a rotator cuff tear was confirmed via advanced imaging or when applicable via operative report. Patients’ ROM was evaluated through physician’s office note. Shoulder radiographs were used to measure CSA, glenoid inclination (GI), acromial index (AI), and acromiohumeral interval (AHI). Patient ROM was measured and grouped into two different tiered cohorts; cohort one had 4 subgroups of forward elevation (i.e. ≤45°, 45-90°, 91-135° and 136-180°) and cohort two had 2 subgroups of forward elevation (i.e. ≤90°, >90°). We then analyzed forward elevation between these groups in the context of their radiographic measurements. Results The average patient age was 73.8 ± 8.0 years old. There was no significant difference in AHI. AI was found to be significantly different between patients presenting with ≤90° in forward elevation (FE) compared to those >90° (p=0.02). Average CSA was significantly lower in patients with forward elevation greater than 90° at 33.7° ± 3.9° compared to patients with forward elevation less than 90° at 37.1° ± 6.3° (p=0.002). There was also a significant difference with regard to CSA angles, with those patients with FE 45o having a mean CSA of 38.2o ± 8.3 compared to those patients with FE > 135o having a mean CSA of 33.3o ± 4.3 (p=0.02). Conclusion Patients diagnosed with cuff tear arthropathy can significantly vary in their shoulder function and ability to forward elevate. Lower CSA was found to be associated with higher forward elevation in CTA patients preoperatively. In addition, patients with a smaller acromial index were also found to have better overhead function. Analyzing CSA on plain radiographs may help manage functional expectations in CTA patients.

Background This study evaluated the presence of the rotator cable intraoperatively and compared its prevalence according to both patient age and rotator cuff integrity. The study hypothesis was that the cable would be more prevalent in older patients and patients with partial-thickness tears. Methods Patients who were undergoing shoulder arthroscopy and were aged at least 16 years were included in this study, whereas those who had a cuff tear of more than 1 tendon or who had a video with poor visualization of the rotator cuff insertion were excluded. Intraoperative videos were collected, deidentified, and distributed to 7 orthopedic surgeons to define rotator cable and cuff tear characteristics. Results A total of 58 arthroscopic videos (average patient age, 46 years; range, 16-75 years) were evaluated. The observers were in the most agreement on identifying the presence of a cable, with a κ coefficient of 0.276. Patients with the rotator cable were significantly older than those without it (mean age, 52.1 years vs. 42.5 years; P = .008), and a positive and significant correlation was found between rotator cable presence and increasing patient age (r = 0.27, P = .04). A significant association was noted between tear degree and cable presence (P = .002). There was no significant association with cable presence in patients with a full-thickness tear. Conclusions In this study, an intraoperative analysis was performed to define the presence of the rotator cable and correlate this with both patient age and rotator cuff integrity. The hypothesis was confirmed in that patients older than 40 years had a significantly higher rotator cable prevalence.

Cutibacterium acnes is the most prevalent cause of joint infection after shoulder surgery. Current methods for decolonizing this bacterium from the shoulder region have proved ineffective owing to its unique niche within dermal sebaceous glands and hair follicles. When we are making decisions to decolonize the skin of C acnes, the risks associated with decolonization must be balanced by the potential benefits of reduced deep tissue inoculation. The purpose of this review was to describe currently available methods of decolonization and their efficacy.

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical and histologic properties of rotator cuff repairs using a vented anchor attached to a bioresorbable interpositional scaffold composed of aligned PLGA (poly( l -lactide-co-glycoside)) microfibers in an animal model compared to standard anchors in an ovine model. Methods Fifty-six (n = 56) skeletally mature sheep were randomly assigned to a repair of an acute infraspinatus tendon detachment using a innovative anchor-PLGA scaffold device (Treatment) or a similar anchor without the scaffold (Control). Animals were humanely euthanized at 7 and 12 weeks post repair. Histologic and biomechanical properties of the repairs were evaluated and compared. Results The Treatment group had a significantly higher fibroblast count at 7 weeks compared to the Control group. The tendon bone repair distance, percentage perpendicular fibers, new bone formation at the tendon-bone interface, and collagen type III deposition was significantly greater for the Treatment group compared with the Control group at 12 weeks (P ≤ .05). A positive correlation was identified in the Treatment group between increased failure loads at 12 weeks and the following parameters: tendon-bone integration, new bone formation, and collagen type III. No statistically significant differences in biomechanical properties were identified between Treatment and Control Groups (P > .05). Conclusions Use of a vented anchor attached to a bioresorbable interpositional scaffold composed of aligned PLGA microfibers improves the histologic properties of rotator cuff repairs in a sheep model. Improved histology was correlated with improved final construct strength at the 12-week time point.

Background Patient-reported outcome measures enable quantitative and patient-centric assessment of orthopedic interventions; however, increased use of these forms has an associated burden for patients and practices. We examined the utility of a computerized adaptive testing (CAT) method to reduce the number of questions on the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) instrument. Methods A previously developed ASES CAT system was applied to the responses of 2763 patients who underwent shoulder evaluation and treatment and had answered all questions on the full ASES instrument. Analyses to assess the accuracy of the CAT score in replicating the full-form score included the mean and standard deviation of both groups of scores, frequency distributions of the 2 sets of scores and score differences, Pearson and intraclass correlation coefficients, and Bland-Altman assessment of patterns in score differences. Results By tailoring questions according to prior responses, CAT reduced the question burden by 40%. The mean difference between CAT and full ASES scores was −0.14, and the scores were within 5 points in 95% of cases (a 12-point difference is considered the threshold for clinical significance) and were clustered around zero. The correlation coefficients were 0.99, and the frequency distributions of the CAT and full ASES scores were nearly identical. The differences between scores were independent of the overall score, and no significant bias for CAT scores was found in either a positive or negative direction. Conclusion The ASES CAT system lessens respondent burden with a negligible effect on score integrity.

Background This study assessed the current political standings and active political engagement of American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) members along with the political process as it relates to health care policy. Methods This survey study involved 552 ASES members. The survey was open for 2 weeks. Responses were received from 254 of the 552 members (46%), and their answers were analyzed. Results Six (2%) of the responding members were solo practitioners, 100 (39%) belonged to a private practice, 106 (42%) were providers at academic institutions or residency training programs, 25 (10%) were employed by a hospital, and 17 (7%) categorized themselves as other. Email was the preferred method of communication. Of all responding members, 110 (43%) stated they had contributed to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery Political Advocacy Committee in the last 12 months. Four (10%) of the responding members have a relationship with an elected official, and 220 (87%) would be willing to become a key contact and reach out to a legislator. Conclusion Moving forward, this survey can be used to better shape the political advocacy efforts of the ASES and potentially other subspecialty societies. The response that “a high percentage of members would like to be more involved” suggests the need for a program to help further educate and facilitate the membership on political advocacy.

This study was designed to investigate the efficacy of the InSpace balloon spacer with a specific focus on clinical and patient-related parameters, functional scores InSpace durability, and satisfaction in patients with massive irreparable rotator cuff tears (IRCT) at minimum one year follow-up.Between 2010 and 2018, patients with symptomatic IRCTs were treated with InSpace balloon implantation. Demographic characteristics, concomitant procedures, and patient's reported outcomes (PROMs) were obtained as well as satisfaction rate and willingness to undergo the procedure again. Need for subsequent surgery and conversion to reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) and time to conversion were also evaluated.Seventy-eight patients (mean age of 70 years, range 46-86) who underwent an InSpace (OrthoSpace, Inc., Caesarea, Israel) balloon implantation were included. Mean follow-up was 56 months (median = 49.6, range 16-129 months). Sixteen out of our 29 pseudoparalytic patients (55.2%) exceed 90° of forward flexion post-surgery with mean improvement of 73° (20-150). Patients older than 65 years of age displayed a statistically significant improved ASES score (60.6 to 46.4, P 0.05). Patients who underwent a subscapularis (SSC) repair demonstrated a superior ASES score (63.4 compared to 50.4, P = 0.06).Based on the current study, spacer implantation is a low-risk, clinically effective treatment for the patients with IRCTs. Patient-specific parameters such as age, BMI, and gender should be considered during patient selection process. SSC tendon tears should be repaired if needed. Improvement in function and symptoms from this procedure may negate or delay the need for RTSA even for some of the pseudoparalytic patients.

A modified Weaver-Dunn procedure for the management of acromioclavicular joint injuries that uses transosseous bone tunnels and coracoid suture augmentation is described with associated clinical results.A retrospective review of 39 consecutive patients who underwent a primary mWD procedure by a single surgeon from January 2013 to July 2019 was conducted. Patient charts and radiographs were reviewed for clinical course, complications and management, and radiographic evaluation. Satisfaction, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, and Simple Shoulder Test scores were obtained.A total of 28 patients (72%) with a mean follow-up of 37.5 (12 to 84 months) and a mean age of 44.3 ± 15.1 years were included. Postoperative ASES, Simple Shoulder Test, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, and satisfaction scores were 90.6 ± 14.2, 11.1 ± 1.5, 87.3 ± 10.2, and 4.4 ± 1.2 (out of 5), respectively, with a significant improvement in ASES of 42.2 ± 21.8 points (P0.001). All patients had significant decrease in coracoclavicular distance (P0.001). Three patients (10.7%) had complications, with two (7.1%) requiring additional surgery.Excellent functional and radiographic outcomes can be achieved with this modified Weaver-Dunn technique. Complication and revision rates are comparable with those that are found in the literature.Level IV, Retrospective cohort study.

Orthopedic specialty hospitals may allow for more streamlined and efficient care, resulting in shorter lengths of stay, lower costs, and fewer complications. Surgical site infection can be a devastating complication of orthopedic procedures and is difficult to treat successfully, requiring substantial cost and resources. The goal of this study was to determine whether specialty hospitals had lower rates of infection than tertiary care institutions. Records were reviewed for patients undergoing primary total hip, knee, or shoulder arthroplasty and single-level lumbar fusion from 2010 to 2017 at 2 academic tertiary hospitals and 2 specialty hospitals. Patient demographic information, comorbidities, and the development of deep surgical site infection within 1 year of the index procedure were recorded and compared between the groups. Multivariate analysis identified variables that significantly correlated with infection rates. A total of 20,264 patients (73.9%) underwent surgery at a tertiary hospital, and 7169 (26.1%) underwent a procedure at a specialty hospital. Patients treated at orthopedic specialty hospitals had lower rates of infection at 1 year (0.6% vs 0.2%, P P =.0012). Although tertiary hospitals care for older patients with more medical comorbidities, patients undergoing orthopedic procedures at a specialty hospital may be at lower risk for infection. Further study is needed to identify the processes associated with reduced infection rates and to determine whether they can be adopted at tertiary centers. [ Orthopedics . 2021;44(4):e521–e526.]

Objectives: Despite various treatment options, the successful management of irreparable, massive rotator cuff tears (MRCTs) remains challenging. Implantation of a biodegradable subacromial balloon spacer (InSpaceTM system; OrthoSpace, Caesarea, Isreal) has gained considerable interest for the treatment of MCRTs due to its ability to effectively recenter the humeral head within the glenoid. Despite promising results, investigations examining outcomes following balloon spacer implantation are limited to small case series and short-term prospective trials without comparison to other surgical modalities. The purpose of the present investigation was to prospectively evaluate the safety and efficacy of the arthroscopically deployed, subacromial spacer balloon compared to partial rotator cuff repair in patients with MRCTs at 24 month follow up. Methods: A non-inferiority, prospective, single-blinded, multicenter, randomized, controlled, pivotal study was conducted to compare the outcomes of arthroscopic subacromial balloon spacer implantation to partial repair in the treatment of MRCTs. Patients ≥ 40 years of age with symptomatic full thickness MRCTs (tears ≥ 5 cm or ≥ 2 tendons) that had failed non-operative management were included. Clinical outcome data, derived from subjective questionnaires and physical examination, were collected at baseline and follow-up intervals at Day 10, Week 6, Month 3, 6, 12 and 24. Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were obtained at 6 weeks and 12 months. The primary composite effectiveness endpoint was defined as achievement of the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff (WORC) score (275 points) and American Shoulder and Elbow Society (ASES) score (6.4 points) by week 6 and maintenance at month 12 without subsequent secondary surgical intervention (SSSI) or serious adverse device effects (SADEs). Secondary effectiveness endpoints included changes in individual and composite clinical outcome scores relative to baseline in addition to MRI findings. Intention-to-treat (ITT), per-protocol (PP), and safety analyses were performed separately. Results: A total of 20 sites were enrolled in the investigation. One hundred, eighty-four patients were randomized into the clinical study (n= 93 balloon spacer; n= 91 partial repair) and included in the safety population, of which 183 patients were included in the ITT analysis (n=93 balloon spacer; n= 90 partial repair) and 176 in the PP analysis (n= 88 balloon spacer; n= 88 partial repair). No significant difference in demographic characteristics based on mean age, sex, race or body mass index were appreciated between groups. Mean procedure duration was 44.6 ± 16.9 minutes for the balloon spacer group and 71.2 ± 30.1 minutes for the partial repair group. Significant improvement over time relative to baseline was observed in all WORC (Fig. 1) and ASES (Fig. 2) scores in both groups. The magnitude of improvement for subjects in the balloon spacer group was the same or better than for subjects in the partial repair group at 12 and 24 month follow up. At 12 months, 51% (n=45 of 88) of patients in the balloon spacer group and 35 patients 40% (n= 35 of 88) in the partial repair group had reached and maintained the primary composite endpoint, meeting the noninferiority criteria (non-inferiority margin 10%; p = 0.0049) and corresponding to an 11.4% mean advantage for the spacer implant group. Non-inferiority was similarly confirmed in the ITT population (p=0.0089). SSSI occurred in 6 subjects (n=3 balloon spacer; n=3 partial repair), with two subjects in each group requiring reverse shoulder arthroplasty and one subject in each group undergoing shoulder arthroscopy. Conclusions: Use of the balloon spacer was found to produce non-inferior outcomes when compared to partial rotator cuff repair for patients with MRCTs at 24 month follow up. Outcomes following balloon spacer device placement met non-inferiority criteria when compared to the partial repair group based on primary composite endpoints.

Shoulder arthrodesis is an end-stage, salvage procedure for the glenohumeral joint and can provide a pain-free, stable shoulder with varying levels of function. Common indications include brachial plexus injury, chronic instability with rotator cuff and deltoid dysfunction, and failed shoulder arthroplasty. Multiple techniques are described, including intra-articular and extra-articular arthrodeses. Fusion can be accomplished with screw fixation, plate fixation, external fixation, and arthroscopic-assisted techniques. The optimal position of the arm is heavily debated in the literature, but the ideal position is thought to be 30° of flexion, 30° of abduction, and 30° of internal rotation. After successful fusion, the patient should be able to bring their hand to their mouth, reach their back pocket, and cross the midline for hygiene. Complications are not uncommon and include nonunion, malunion, fracture, and infection. With the increasing incidence of shoulder arthroplasty, failed arthroplasties are more commonly encountered. In a salvage situation, shoulder arthrodesis may be considered.

Background: Primary rotator cuff repairs in complex cases (older patient age, larger tear sizes, chronic tears) and revision repairs are at high risk for failure of healing. Purpose: To examine clinical outcomes and healing rates in complex and revision rotator cuff repairs with dermal allograft augmentation. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A retrospective study was made of cases performed by 3 fellowship-trained surgeons via a uniform technique involving rotator cuff repairs with allograft augmentation. In all cases, a 1.5-mm, human, decellularized dermal graft was tied on top of the tendon at the medial row and compressed to the rotator cuff footprint using a double-row technique. Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed at a minimum of 6 months and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE), and 12-Item Short Form Health Survey scores were collected at a minimum of 2 years postoperatively. Results: A total of 35 patients (23 revision repairs, 12 primary complex repairs) were included. The mean patient age was 57.9 years (range, 41.0-70.5 years). All shoulders had 2-tendon tears (supraspinatus and infraspinatus), and 8 included the upper 50% of the subscapularis. At a minimum of 2 years after surgery (mean, 3.2 years), mean ASES and SANE scores improved from 42.4 and 35.3 to 77.6 and 73.5, respectively ( P < .001). In the 23 patients (66%) with postoperative MRI evaluation, 11 (48%) had images showing the tendons were retorn. ASES (89.7 vs 66.4; P = .04) and SANE (84.1 vs 50.5; P = .02) scores were higher in healed patients than those with retears. The retear group had a higher degree of preoperative fatty atrophy of the infraspinatus ( P = .024). Conclusion: Double-row arthroscopic repair with dermal allograft augmentation of complex and revision rotator cuff tears led to improved functional outcomes. Approximately half of patients experienced a failure of healing, which was associated with poorer functional results.

Background Management of massive irreparable rotator cuff tears (MIRCTs) remains controversial owing to variability in patient features and outcomes contributing to a lack of unanimity in treatment recommendations. The purpose of this study was to implement the Delphi process using experts from the Neer Circle of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons to determine areas of consensus regarding treatment options for a variety of MIRCTs. Methods A panel of 120 shoulder surgeons were sent a survey regarding MIRCT treatments including arthroscopic debridement and partial cuff repair, graft augmentation, reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA), superior capsular reconstruction (SCR), and tendon transfer. An iterative Delphi process was then conducted with a first-round questionnaire consisting of 13 patient factors with the option for open-ended responses to identify important features influencing the treatment of MIRCTs. The second-round survey sought to determine the importance of patient factors related to the 6 included treatment options. A third-round survey asked participants to classify treatment options for 60 MIRCT patient scenarios as either preferred treatment, acceptable treatment, not acceptable/contraindicated, or unsure/no opinion. Patient scenarios were declared to achieve consensus for the preferred and not acceptable/contraindicated categories when at least 80% of the survey respondents agreed on a response, and a 90% threshold was required for the acceptable treatment category, defined by an acceptable treatment or preferred treatment response. Results Seventy-two members agreed to participate and were deemed to have the requisite expertise to contribute based on their survey responses regarding clinical practice and patient volume. There were 20 clinical scenarios that reached 90% consensus as an acceptable treatment, with RSA selected for 18 scenarios and arthroscopic debridement and/or partial repair selected for 2. RSA was selected as the singular preferred treatment option in 8 scenarios. Not acceptable/contraindicated treatment options reached consensus in 8 scenarios, of which, 4 related to SCR, 3 related to RSA, and 1 related to partial repair with graft augmentation. Conclusion This Delphi process exhibited significant consensus regarding RSA as a preferred treatment strategy in older patients with pseudoparesis, an irreparable subscapularis, and dynamic instability. In addition, the process identified certain unacceptable treatments for MIRCTs such as SCR in older patients with pseudoparesis and an irreparable subscapularis or RSA in young patients with an intact or reparable subscapularis without pseudoparesis or dynamic instability. The publication of these scenarios and areas of consensus may serve as a useful guide for practitioners in the management of MIRCTs.

Background The purpose of this analysis was to analyze outcomes of distal biceps reconstruction with soft tissue allograft in the setting of chronic, irreparable distal biceps ruptures. The outcomes of these cases were then compared with a matched cohort of distal biceps ruptures that were able to be repaired primarily. Methods Retrospective review of an institutional elbow surgery database was conducted. All cases of distal biceps repairs were identified by Common Procedural Terminology, ICD-9, and ICD-10 codes from January 2009 to March 2018. A direct review of operative reports was then conducted to identify which cases required allograft reconstruction. After identification of this population, a 2:1 manually matched cohort of patients who underwent primary repair was generated using age, gender, body mass index, and age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index. Finally, the allograft reconstruction and matched primary repair cohorts were compared for reoperation, range of motion, and patient-reported outcomes scores. Results There were 46 male patients who underwent distal biceps reconstruction with allograft (14 Achilles tendon, 32 semitendinosus) and they were matched to 92 male patients that underwent primary distal biceps repair. Mean patient age (46.9 ± 10.3 vs. 47.0 ± 9.8 years, P = .95), BMI (31.3 ± 5.3 vs. 31.3 ± 4.8 kg/m2, P = .60), and Charlson Comorbidity Index (1.2 ± 1.1 vs. 1.3 ± 0.9, P = .64) were similar between allograft reconstruction and primary repair groups. Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score (7.4 ± 18.0 vs. 1.6 ± 4.1, P = .23), Mayo Elbow Performance Score (92.1 ± 19.7 vs. 97.3 ± 6.4, P = .36), and Oxford Elbow Score (43.4 ± 11.0 vs. 46.8 ± 3.2, P = .25) were not significantly different between groups at mean 5.1 years (range, 1.5-10.9 years) after surgery. There were 1 of 42 (2.2%) allograft patients who require revision compared with 3 of 92 (3.3%, P = .719) in the primary repair group. In addition, one primary repair required reoperation for scar tissue excision and lateral antebrachial cutaneous neurolysis. Final range of motion data (twelve-week follow-up) for the allograft reconstruction group was similar to primary repair group in flexion (136.1° ± 5.3° vs. 135.9° ± 2.7°, P = .81), extension (0.8° ± 2.9° vs. 0.4° ± 1.7°, P = .53), pronation (78.0° ± 9.0° vs. 76.4° ± 15.4°, P = .50), supination (77.4° ± 10.7° vs. 77.5° ± 11.9°, P = .96). Conclusion Patients who underwent distal biceps reconstruction with a graft had similar failure rates, reoperation rates, final range of motion, and patient-reported outcomes scores as those treated without a graft. Patients can be consulted that direct repair in the acute setting is preferred; however, even in the setting of a distal biceps reconstruction with graft augmentation, they can expect low complications and good functional results.

Introduction Given the limitations of anchor-based rotator cuff repair, surgeons have considered and investigated the use of an arthroscopic transosseous repair technique using only sutures to repair tendon tissue. Returning full circle to the gold standard of transosseous repair, but with the modern adaptation of arthroscopy, advocates of arthroscopic transosseous rotator cuff repair believe that many of the risks associated with suture anchors can be avoided. The purpose of this study was to examine the capabilities of a novel needle-based arthroscopic transosseous tunneling device (OmniCuff™ arthroscopic transosseous device, MinInvasive Ltd., Magal, Israel) and evaluate the short-term clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction of patients treated with this technique. Materials and methods This study was a prospective, single-arm, multi-center study performed on patients from January 2014 to March 2015. During the study period, thirty-two patients underwent arthroscopic transosseous rotator cuff repair using the OmniCuff™ arthroscopic transosseous device. Results The average age of patients was 58.2 years (range, 44 to 80 years). The sizes of the tears were as follows: seven small, 18 medium, four large, and three massive. The average number of tunnels used per repair was 1.9 with the following breakdown: six one-tunnel repairs, 22 two-tunnel repairs, and four three-tunnel repairs. The mean American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon (ASES) score improved from 45.1 to 87.7, the mean Simple Shoulder Test (SST) score improved from 42.6 to 92. Overall patient satisfaction was high with an average Likert scale of 4.6. Conclusion Our study demonstrated significantly improved outcomes for patients undergoing arthroscopic transosseous rotator cuff repair using the needle based Omnicuff device. Patients were overall very satisfied with the outcome of their surgery and their ASES and SST scores demonstrated this appropriately.

The benefit of rotator cuff repair (RCR) in patients with concurrent osteoarthritic changes remains unclear. RCR has the theoretical potential to increase the compressive force across the glenohumeral joint, further exacerbating osteoarthritis pain. The purpose of this study is to investigate pain relief and patient-reported outcomes of patients undergoing simultaneous RCR and microfracture of focal glenohumeral osteoarthritis.Thirty-four patients undergoing simultaneous RCR and microfracture were retrospectively reviewed at a minimum 1-year follow-up. Patient demographics, preoperative range of motion, functional outcomes (visual analog scale [VAS], Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation [SANE], American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form [ASES], and Simple Shoulder Test [SST]), and operative metrics were recorded. The patients were then contacted to obtain postoperative functional outcome scores (VAS, SANE, ASES, and SST).Twenty-seven patients (11 male/16 female [79%]) were evaluated at a mean follow-up of 25.8 months (range, 12-46). The average age at surgery was 64.9 years (range, 56-78). Chronic tears were more common than acute tears (57.7% vs. 42.3%). The majority of patients had a full rotator cuff tear (89%) involving a mean 1.7 ± 0.8 tendons (range, 1-3). Eighty-eight percent of the humeral lesions were Outerbridge 4 compared with 84% on the glenoid. The mean estimated involvement between the 2 groups with 38.4% ± 18.4% of the humeral head involved and 34.6% ± 18.4% of the glenoid involved. PRO scores improved postoperatively with a reduction in mean VAS (6.6-2.0, P.01), SANE (33.8-79.8, P.01), ASES (38.0-80.9, P.01), and SST (3.07-9.70, P.01) scores. Cumulatively, only 52% (14/27) of the patients improved, however, by the MCID for all collected PROs.Our results demonstrate modest improvements in postoperative pain and functional scores at a minimum of 1-year follow-up in a cohort of patients who have undergone RCR and glenohumeral microfracture. In cases of small focal lesions of full-thickness cartilage loss, RCR with microfracture is a reasonable treatment option; however, patients should be counseled on expectations accordingly.

Total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) and reverse TSA have provided an effective treatment for glenohumeral osteoarthritis; however, longevity of the procedure may be limited by osteolysis and polyethylene wear. In TSA, glenoid component failure occurs through several mechanisms, the most common being aseptic loosening and polyethylene wear. Newer bearing surfaces such as highly cross-linked ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, vitamin E processing, ceramic heads, and pyrolytic carbon surfaces have shown improved wear characteristics in biomechanical and some early clinical studies. The purpose of this review is to provide a historical perspective and current state of the art of bearing surface technology in anatomic and reverse TSA.

The biceps brachii is an important functional muscle that depends on its distal attachment to the radial tuberosity to help flex the elbow and supinate the forearm. A chronically torn distal biceps or a failed primary repair presents a difficult challenge to restore this function, which is particularly critical for active persons and laborers. Surgical repair and/or reconstruction offers a greater opportunity for functional gains compared to nonoperative management, although complications are more common in the chronic and revision setting. Surgical treatment involves primarily the direct reattachment of the tendon to its native footprint or, as is often necessary in cases of significant scarring and tendon retraction, using tendon grafts from various sources to reconstruct the chronic tear. Multiple fixation techniques are available including bone tunnels, screws, anchors, and cortical buttons, each with its own set of clinical outcomes reported in the literature. Continued research will help differentiate the optimal techniques to help minimize complications and maximize subjective improvement and muscle strength and endurance for patients with chronic tears and failed repairs.

Background: Recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation in patients aged ≥ 40 years is not as rare as once thought. The mechanism of instability in this patient population is different—more likely to be attributed to rotator cuff pathology—compared with that in younger individuals. With an increasingly aging active population, surgical management has a rising role in preventing morbidity associated with recurrent instability. Our purpose was to evaluate outcomes of anterior shoulder instability repair (ie, Bankart or bony Bankart repair) with and without rotator cuff repair (RCR) in patients aged ≥ 40 years. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients aged ≥ 40 years who underwent surgical repair for anterior shoulder instability from 2008-2016. Patients were categorized into 4 cohorts: Bankart repair only, bony Bankart repair only, Bankart repair with concomitant RCR, and bony Bankart repair with concomitant RCR. Demographic and history-of-instability data were collected. Clinical and functional outcomes assessed included the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Penn Shoulder Score, visual analog scale score for pain, Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index score, and patient satisfaction score. Results: A total of 146 patients were included in this study, with 103 patients (71%) having ≥2-year outcome scores. Outcome scores were not significantly different among groups. For patients who underwent Bankart repair only, bony Bankart repair only, Bankart repair with RCR, and bony Bankart repair with RCR, the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation scores were 80.8 ± 19.7, 90.0 ± 10.7, 79.3 ± 29.4, and 87.2 ± 10.6, respectively (P = .284); American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores, 83.8 ± 19.7, 92.4 ± 17.4, 82.5 ± 25.6, and 85.6 ± 12.7, respectively (P = .114); Penn Shoulder Scores for function, 84.5 ± 17.9, 90.9 ± 15.3, 83.6 ± 25.1, and 95.7 ± 13.0, respectively (P = .286); and Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index scores, 481.0 ± 519.5, 292.1 ± 414.3, 548.9 ± 690.5, and 320.6 ± 258.7, respectively (P = .713). Age at the time of surgery significantly differed between cohorts (P < .001). No patients had recurrence of instability during the study period. Conclusion: Similar functional outcomes can be achieved in the surgical management of anterior instability in patients aged ≥ 40 years. Rotator cuff tears should be suspected and repaired in patients with anterior instability, especially those aged ≥ 50 years.

Background The impact of surgical timing on outcomes involving traumatic rotator cuff tears (RCTs) remains uncertain. The purpose of this study was to determine how functional outcomes are affected by surgical timing in traumatic RCTs. Methods We performed a retrospective review of patients with repair of traumatic full-thickness RCTs. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging scans were evaluated by 2 blinded reviewers to measure RCT area and muscular atrophy. Functional outcomes were assessed via the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) score, Simple Shoulder Test score, and visual analog scale (VAS) pain score. Patients were divided into 4 groups based on the time from injury to surgery: 0-2 months (group 1), 2-4 months (group 2), 4-6 months (group 3), and 6-12 months (group 4). Multivariate analysis was performed to assess the impact of surgical timing on functional outcomes. A subanalysis was performed to assess outcomes in patients who underwent surgery within 3 weeks of injury. Results The study included 206 patients (150 men and 56 women) with a mean age of 60.0 ± 9.7 years and a minimum of 24 months’ clinical follow-up (mean, 35.5 months; range, 24-54.4 months). The average tear area was 8.4 ± 6.3 cm2 in group 1 (66 patients), 5.8 ± 5.1 cm2 in group 2 (76 patients), 5.1 ± 4.6 cm2 in group 3 (29 patients), and 3.7 ± 3.1 cm2 in group 4 (35 patients) (P Conclusions This study demonstrates that surgical repair of traumatic RCTs results in significant improvements in functional outcomes for all patients; however, patients who undergo surgery within 3 weeks can expect the best functional outcomes, with a drop in function in patients who undergo surgery >4 months after injury.