Faculty Bibliography

The evolution of total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) has laid the groundwork for modern day TEA and has contributed to our understanding of elbow biomechanics. Trends in the usage of TEA have also varied significantly over time. This article aims to review the history and evolution of the TEA implant with a focus on modern day implant biomechanics and the trends in TEA indications. Additionally, this review discusses various complications that can occur with modern day TEA and looks toward the future to identify innovation and future trends.

Surgical management of the subscapularis tendon is critical to a successful outcome following anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty. However, the optimal surgical technique for adequate exposure of the glenohumeral joint while mini-mizing complications resulting from subscapularis tendon dysfunction continues to be controversial. Common surgical techniques for the management of the subscapularis tendon include tenotomy, peeling, sparing, and lesser tuberosity oste-otomy. Despite a number of published studies comparing these techniques, no consensus has been reached regarding optimal management. This article reviews the extensive literature on the biomechanical, radiologic, and clinical outcomes of each technique, including recently published comparison studies.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:Massive irreparable rotator cuff tears (MIRCTs) remain a challenging treatment paradigm, particularly for nonelderly patients without pseudoparalysis or arthritis. PURPOSE/UNASSIGNED:To use a network meta-analysis to analyze comparative studies of surgical treatment options for MIRCTs in patients <70 years of age for several patient-reported outcomes, range of motion (ROM), and acromiohumeral distance (AHD). STUDY DESIGN/UNASSIGNED:Network meta-analysis of comparative studies; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:package Version 0.9-6 in R. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:= .024). CONCLUSION/UNASSIGNED:For patients <70 years with MIRCT without significant arthritis or pseudoparalysis, it appears that graft interposition repair techniques, superior capsular reconstruction using the long head of the biceps tendon, arthroscopic debridement, and balloon arthroplasty provide superiority in various outcome domains, while RSA provides the least benefit in forward flexion.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:Instability is one of the leading causes of revision for reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA). Closed reduction (CR) of a dislocated RTSA is recommended by many as initial treatment with varying degrees of success. In this study, we describe polyethylene liner dissociation from the humeral tray (PDH) as a cause of failure of CR of dislocated RTSA. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:In this retrospective study, patients who underwent revision RTSA for instability were identified through our institutional database review using specific International Classification of Diseases and Current Procedural Terminology codes. Pertinent clinical information including demographics, details of instability event (early vs. late), traumatic vs. atraumatic, outcomes of CR (if performed), and intraoperative findings during revision surgery were collected and analyzed. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:Twenty-two patients met the inclusion criteria with average follow-up of 2 years. CR was attempted in 12 (55%) patients, prior to revision surgery, and was successful in 5 (23%) patients. During the revision surgery polyethylene liner dissociation from the humeral tray (PDH) was identified in 10 patients (45%). Five of these 10 patients had failed CR and the other 5 patients did not undergo CR due to primary surgeon's preference. All patients with PDH event had onlay humeral tray RTSA system. Although not a consistent radiographic finding in our series, the presence of the metallic glenosphere in direct contact with the humeral tray on anteroposterior or axillary radiographs was diagnostic for PDH. CONCLUSION/UNASSIGNED:Dissociation of polyethylene liner from the humeral tray can be associated with an RTSA dislocation and is a contraindication for CR. A radiographic finding of the metallic humeral tray articulating directly with the glenosphere is an indication that the polyethylene liner is dissociated from the humeral tray.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:The exact pathogenesis of idiopathic adhesive capsulitis (IAC) is not fully understood, but an inflammatory profibrotic cascade, largely mediated by transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF- β1) has been implicated. Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-Is) both decrease the activity of TGF-β1. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of ACE-Is or ARBs use on the need for operative intervention in IAC. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:This was a retrospective cohort study of patients from a single institutional database with IAC, divided into two cohorts, with and without ACE-I and/or ARB use as the primary exposure and a minimum 2-year follow-up. The primary outcome measured was the incidence of operative intervention including manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) and arthroscopic capsular release (ACR). Additional multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate associations between ACE-I/ARB use and likelihood of undergoing an operative procedure. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED: < .001) demonstrating reduced odds as compared to patients aged <30 years. CONCLUSION/UNASSIGNED:Patients with IAC have an overall low (2.4%) rate of requiring surgical intervention. While the antifibrotic mechanism of ACE inhibitors and ARBs did not significantly affect the rate of requiring surgical intervention, male gender, obesity, younger age, and diabetes, all increased the risk for operative intervention. Losartan, specifically, may have a disease modifying effect on IAC that should be investigated with larger controlled trials.

BACKGROUND:The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of concomitant open distal clavicle excision (DCE) on postoperative clinical outcomes and incidence of acromial and scapular stress fractures (ASFs) in patients with symptomatic acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis (ACJ OA) undergoing reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA). METHODS:A single-surgeon retrospective cohort study was conducted including patients who underwent primary elective RTSA with or without DCE from 2015 to 2019 with a minimum 6-month follow-up period. Shoulder active range of motion (AROM) and visual analog scale (VAS) pain were recorded preoperatively and postoperatively. ASFs and other adverse events were identified using postoperative notes and/or radiographs. Characteristics and outcomes were compared between the RTSA and RTSA-DCE groups. RESULTS:Forty-six RTSA patients (mean age, 67.9±8.7 years; 60.9% male; mean follow-up, 24.9±16.6 months) and 70 RTSA-DCE patients (mean age, 70.2±8.9 years; 20.0% male; mean follow-up, 22.7±12.9 months) were included. There were no significant intergroup differences in rates of ASF (RTSA, 0.0% vs. RTSA-DCE, 1.4%; P=1.00), stress reactions (RTSA, 8.7% vs. RTSA-DCE, 11.4%; P=0.76), reoperation, revision, or infection (all P>0.05), or in pre-to-postoperative reduction in VAS pain (P=0.17) at latest follow-up. However, the RTSA-DCE group had greater pre-to-postoperative improvement in flexion AROM (RTSA, 43.7°±38.5° vs. RTSA-DCE, 59.5°±33.4°; P=0.03) and internal rotation (IR) AROM (P=0.02) at latest follow-up. CONCLUSIONS:Concomitant DCE in RTSA improves shoulder flexion and IR AROM, alleviates shoulder pain, and does not increase the risk of ASFs. Level of evidence: III.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:The purpose of our study was to compare the outcomes and complications after a two- vs. six-week duration of sling immobilization following reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA). METHODS/UNASSIGNED:We conducted a retrospective review from our institutional database on 960 patients treated by primary rTSA between 2011 and 2021. Patients were separated into two cohorts of postoperative sling immobilization (a two-week and six-week group). Multivariate analysis was conducted to evaluate what factors were associated with patients experiencing either a postoperative complication or requiring reoperation. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED: = .73). DISCUSSION/UNASSIGNED:Shorter duration of sling immobilization (two weeks) does not incur additional risk of complications compared to standard duration (six weeks) of sling immobilization following rTSA.

PURPOSE/UNASSIGNED:To assess the preoperative and postoperative performance of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Upper Extremity (PROMIS-UE, version 2.0) outcome score in comparison to the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) and Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC) instruments in patients undergoing rotator cuff repair. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:) between these tools was calculated at each time point. Correlations were graded as excellent (>0.7), excellent-good (0.61-0.7), good (0.4-0.6), or poor (<0.4). Responsiveness to change was assessed using the effect size and the standardized response mean. Floor and ceiling effects for each instrument were also assessed. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:The PROMIS-UE instrument showed good to excellent correlation with the legacy instruments at all time points. There were variations in the measured effect sizes of the various instruments, with the PROMIS-UE instrument showing responsiveness to change at 3 and 12 months but the ASES and WORC instruments showing responsiveness at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 12 months. Both PROMIS-UE and ASES scores displayed ceiling effects at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS/UNASSIGNED:The PROMIS-UE instrument shows excellent correlation with the ASES instrument and a rotator cuff-specific outcome instrument-the WORC instrument-preoperatively and at 1 year after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Variations in the measured effect sizes at different postoperative time points and high ceiling effects of the PROMIS-UE instrument at the 1-year time point may limit its utility in the early postoperative phase and at long-term follow-up after rotator cuff repair. CLINICAL RELEVANCE/UNASSIGNED:The performance of the PROMIS-UE outcome measure after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair was investigated.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:The purpose of this study is to compare the 90 day complication rates of primary Total Elbow Arthroplasty (TEA) performed for arthritis (primary-OA; rheumatoid arthritis-RA) versus those performed for distal humerus fractures (DHF). METHODS:Patients who underwent a TEA from 2015 to 2021 were identified from our institutional database and placed into cohorts based on surgical indications (TEA-OA, TEA-RA and TEA-DHF). Chart review was conducted to analyze the prevalence of complications, emergency department (ED) visits, readmissions, and secondary procedures in the first 90 day post-operative period. Complications included but were not limited to wound complications, hematoma, infection (superficial or deep), nerve palsy, periprosthetic fracture/failure and others. RESULTS:49 patients who underwent TEA were included in this study: (DHF = 19, OA = 14, RA = 16). Six complications occurred within the first 90 days of surgery. There were two periprosthetic joint infections (PJI) in the OA group, requiring irrigation and debridement (I & D) within the first 90 days of surgery. There were three post-operative ulnar nerve palsies and one PJI requiring I & D in the TEA-RA group. Compared to the TEA-DHF and TEA-OA groups, the RA group had higher rates of all-cause complications (p = 0.03) and nerve palsy (p = 0.03). There were no significant differences between groups in readmissions (p = 0.27) or secondary interventions (p = 0.27). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:The 90-day complication/readmission rates of TEA preformed for DHFs is lower than those preformed for OA and RA. These differences could be related to the underlying chronic inflammatory etiology and side effect of treatments (intraarticular steroid injection, and biologics) received by patients with arthritis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Retrospective Cohort Study, level IV.