• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.220-226
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• 2007

Purpose: The distal clavicle has a biomechanical structure different from that of the proximal or middle 1/3 clavicle, and delayed union or nonunion occurs frequently in a distal clavicle fracture. The authors obtained favorable results from an open reduction and bone grafting of the distal clavicle nonunion. We report the results together with review of the relevant literature. Materials and Methods: The subjects were 8 patients(average age, 38.9) who had undergone surgery for distal clavicle nonunion from August 2003 to May 2006. Nonunion occurred after surgical treatment in 4 cases, and after conservative treatment in the other 4. In all cases, the patients complained of pain. Results: The mean follow-up duration was 14 months, and radiological union was observed in 8 weeks on average. In all cases, the range of shoulder joint motion was normal at the end of the follow-up observation. In the functional evaluation, 7 cases showed excellent results and 1 case showed good results. Conclusion: Surgical treatment is a safe and reliable treatment for distal clavicle fracture nonunion because it can achieve early rehabilitation and union.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.160-166
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• 2007

Purpose: The current study assessed the factors affecting outcomes of primary repair procedures in tears of multiple rotator cuff tendons. Materials and Methods: Among the cases of rotator cuff tears involving two or more tendons receiving operations between 1997 and 2003, The clinical results of 19 cases with more than 2 years follow-up were evaluated by the UCLA score. We evaluated the correlation of trauma, active motion, acromiohumeral distance, tear size, and surface area with the UCLA score using Pearson's linear correlation coefficient (PLCC). Results: UCLA scores increased significantly in all cases, from 9 to 26.1 on average. However, the results were good in 53%, and poor in 47% according to Ellman's criteria. Trauma, active elevation, acromiohumeral distance, and tear size did not correlate with the UCLA score, but the tear surface area was inversely correlated with the score (PLCC=-0.696). Cases with degeneration of the infraspinatus muscle above Goutallier grade III on MRI showed worse results than cases with less degeneration. Conclusion: The clinical results of primary repair of rotator cuff tears involving multiple tendons were satisfactory in 53% of patients. Large tear surface area and severe degeneration of the infraspinatus were poor prognostic factors.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 2007

Purpose: We evaluated calcium resolution and clinical improvement of calcific tendinitis after conservative and arthroscopic treatment. Materials and Methods: We reviewed 126 patients of calcific tendinitis treated from January, 2002 to April, 2005. Average age was 53 and female dominant in 77% of the cases. Calcium deposits were involved in supraspinatus tendon in 84% of the cases. We compared clinical changes for 64 cases treated with injection, and 12 cases treated by arthroscopic decompression with 6 month follow-up. Results: 77%(49/64) of the cases with steroid injection showed symptom improvement. Even though complete resolution of calcific deposit occurred in 36%(23/64), incomplete resolution in 17%(11/64) and no change in 47%(30/64), Pain was relieved in 87%(20/23), 82%(9/11) and 67%(20/30), respectively. With arthroscopic treatment, calcium deposit completely resolved in 83%(10/12), and all cases showed pain free motion after 6 months. Conclusion: Conservative treatment with steroid injection was effective for acute pain in resorptive phase. In cases of arthroscopic treatment, there was no need for complete removal of calcium deposit during the procedure, but clinical symptoms improved with resolution of the deposit.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.175-182
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• 2007

Purpose: This study compared the SLAP lesions caused by a sports-induced injury with those caused by a non-sports-induced injury. Materials and Methods: The study was performed on 54 patients who had undergone arthroscopic surgery for a SLAP lesion. There were 21 sports-induced-injury patients (group I) and 36 non-sports-induced injury patients (group II). The mean age of the men was 36 years and that of the women was 48 years. In both groups, the frequency of a concomitant injury and the clinical outcomes at the last follow-up was evaluated using the UCLA score, Rowe score, and the ASES score. Results: According to their injury mechanism, , there were 14 cases (67%) of repeated microtrauma injury in group I and 25 cases (75%) of compression injury type in group II. As a concomitant pathology, there was 11 cases of shoulder instability and 5 cases of a rotator cuff tear in group I, and 23 cases of rotator cuff tears and 14 cases of shoulder instability in group II. At the last follow up, group I showed slightly better clinical satisfaction (P>0.05). Conclusion: The possibility of a SLAP lesion accompanying other diseases is high. Therefore, an accurate assessment of concomitant injury lesions before surgery is important for the treatment outcome.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.183-189
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• 2007

Introduction: While uncommon, humeral head osteonecrosis is an indication for arthroplasty when the humeral head collapse is advanced. The current authors report the short-term clinical results of 7 hemiarthroplasties to treat humeral head osteonecrosis. Materials and Methods: This study focused on 7 reconstructed shoulders of 5 patients whose humeral head osteonecrosis was treated with hemiarthroplasty. The postulated causes were alcohol-induced (4 cases) and steroidinduced (3 cases). The minimum follow-up was 12 months. This study compared the preoperative and postoperative shoulder pain, range of motion, and ASES scores. The postoperative patient satisfaction was assessed. Results: The level of pain during exercise was reduced from a preoperative average of 7.6 to a postoperative average of 1.9. The range of motion, in terms of forward flexion, abduction, and external rotation, improved from preoperative averages of $105.7^{\circ}$, $80^{\circ}$, and $22.1^{\circ}$ to postoperative averages of $146.6^{\circ}$, $139.3^{\circ}$, and $44.3^{\circ}$, respectively. The ASES scores increased from a preoperative mean of 39.0 to a postoperative mean of 84.1. The patients' ratings of the outcomes were excellent (5 cases) and good (2 cases). Conclusions: These short-term results indicate that hemiarthroplasty is a reliable treatment method for humeral head osteonecrosis improving shoulder pain, range of motion, and patient satisfaction.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.190-198
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• 2007

Purpose: The current study reports the clinical results of total elbow arthroplasties (TEA) which were Performed on patients with poor clinical and radiological results after initial surgeries for elbow fractures or dislocations. Materials and Methods: The clinical outcomes of twelve consecutive patients who underwent TEA after failed surgeries for elbow fractures or dislocations from january, 1995 to December, 2005 were evaluated. The initial diagnoses were distal humeral fractures in 8 cases and fracture-dislocations in 4 cases. The Mean period from the initial operations to the TEAs was 12 months. The mean folloow up period after TEA was 43 months. Results: The mean range of motion, in terms of active extension, activeflexion, supination, and pronation, improved from $14.2^{\circ}$, $96.7^{\circ}$, $50.8^{\circ}$ and $53.3^{\circ}$ to $5.4^{\circ}$, $122.1^{\circ}$, $63.3^{\circ}$ and $67.5^{\circ}$, respectively (p<0.05). RAdiolucent lines were found in 3 cases, which were 1 case of type 3, and 2 cases of type 4. All three loosening cases underwent revision TEAs. The mean postoperative Mayo elvow performance score was 79 point. There were 6 cases of excellent, 2 cases of good, and 4 cases in poor. Conclusion: Good clinical results were obtained after TEA performed in failed surgeries for elbow fractures of dislocations.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.117-125
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• 2017

Background: To compare the clinical outcomes of arthroscopic capsular release in patients with and without inferior capsular release for shoulder stiffness. Methods: Between January 2010 and December 2015, 39 patients who underwent arthroscopic capsular release for shoulder stiffness were enrolled and randomized into two groups. In group I, 19 patients underwent arthroscopic capsular release of the rotator interval and anterior capsule. In group II, 20 patients underwent arthroscopic capsular release of the anterior to inferior capsule, including the rotator interval. The American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Constant scoring system, Simple Shoulder Test, visual analogue scale for pain, and range of motion (ROM) were used for evaluation before surgery, at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery and on the last follow-up. Results: Preoperative demographic data revealed no significant differences (p>0.05). The average follow-up was 16.07 months. Both groups showed significantly increased ROM at the last follow-up compared with preoperative (p<0.05). At the last follow-up, no statistical differences were found (p>0.05) between groups I and II in functional scores and ROM (forward flexion, p=0.91; side external rotation, p=0.17; abduction external rotation, p=0.72; internal rotation, p=0.61). But we found that group II gained more flexion compared to group I at 3 months and 6 months (p<0.05) after the surgery. Conclusions: Both techniques of capsular release are effective for stiffness shoulder. However, the extended inferior capsular release shows superiority in forward flexion over anterior capsular release alone during 6 months of follows-up (level of evidence: Level I, therapeutic randomized controlled trial).

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.133-137
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• 2017

Background: To determine the natural progression of conservatively treated rotator cuff tears, we evaluated changes in radiologic and clinical parameters in patients whose recalcitrant tears were neglected after conservative treatment. Methods: A total of 73 patients with recalcitrant rotator cuff tears in spite of conservative treatment were included in this study. We measured changes in tear size and in the extent of fatty infiltration of the rotator cuff by comparing the initial and final follow-up magnetic resonance imagings (MRIs). To determine factors influencing the change in tear size, we collected the medical history of patients taken at the time of initial admission. Results: The average follow-up period was 20.1 months, and the average increase in tear size across this period was 6.2 mm. In terms of steroid injection, we found that the increases in tear size of the steroid injection group (p=0.049) and of the sub-group that had received more than three steroid injections (p=0.010) were significantly greater than that of the non-steroid injection group. Conclusions: We found that the increase in cuff tear size was on average 6.2 mm across the follow-up period, indicating that neglecting cuff tears may cause them to progress into more severe tears. We also observed that a history of steroid injection might be a possible risk factor for a worse prognosis of cuff tears. Therefore, we suggest that patients with rotator cuff tears and a history of steroid injection are recommended aggressive modes of treatment such as surgery.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.192-199
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• 2018

Background: The currently available reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) designs can be classified into medial glenoid/medial humerus (MGMH), lateral glenoid/medial humerus (LGMH), and medial glenoid/lateral humerus (MGLH) prosthesis designs. The purpose of this study was to radiologically analyze the effect of different RSA designs on humeral position following RSA. Methods: A total of 50 patients who underwent primary RSA were retrospectively analyzed. Among 50 patients, 33 patients (group A: MGMH) underwent RSA with Aequalis system (Wright, Inc, Bloomington, MN, USA), 6 (group B: LGMH) with Aequalis system using bony increased offset, and 11 (group C: MGLH) with Aequalis Ascend Flex system. The acromiohumeral distance, acromioepiphyseal distance (AED), lateral humeral offset (LHO), LHO from the center of rotation ($LHO^{COR}$), and deltoid length were radiologically measured to quantify the distalization and lateralization of the humerus. Results: The increment in postoperative AED was $19.92{\pm}3.93mm$ in group A, $24.52{\pm}5.25mm$ in group B, and $25.97{\pm}5.29mm$ in group C, respectively (p=0.001). The increment in postoperative LHO was $0.13{\pm}6.30mm$, $8.00{\pm}12.14mm$, and $7.42{\pm}6.88mm$, respectively (p=0.005). The increment in postoperative $LHO^{COR}$ was $20.76{\pm}6.06mm$, $22.04{\pm}5.15mm$, and $28.11{\pm}4.14mm$, respectively (p=0.002). Conclusions: The radiologic analysis of the effect of different RSA designs on humeral position following RSA showed significant differences in the increment in postoperative AED, LHO, and $LHO^{COR}$ between the 3 groups. Therefore, MGLH design seems to be more effective for humeral distalization and lateralization compared to original Grammont design.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.21-26
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• 2021

Background: To evaluate the demographics, clinical and radiographic features of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder in the Korean population, specifically focusing on the incidence of coexisting rotator cuff tear. Methods: Between October 2014 and January 2015, we performed a prospective multicenter study with 506 patients from 11 training hospitals in Korea. We collected data of demographics and radiographic analysis based on simple radiographs, clinical assessments based on visual analog scale (VAS) and the American Shoulder Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and treatment modalities that are used currently. We also evaluated coexisting rotator cuff tear by ultrasonography (US) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images. Results: There were 402 female patients (79%) with mean age of 55 years (range, 31-87 years). Mean duration of symptoms was 16 months. Mean size of calcific materials was 11.4 mm (range, 0-35 mm). Mean value of VAS and ASES scores were 6.5 (range, 1-10) and 47 (range, 8-95), respectively. Of 383 patients (76%), 59 (15%) had rotator cuff tear including 15 full-thickness tears on US or MRI. Patients with rotator cuff tears were significantly associated with older age, recurrent symptoms, menstrual disorders in females, and having undergone calcification removal surgery and rotator cuff repair (all p<0.05). Conclusions: This study reported demographic, radiographic, and clinical features of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder in Korean population, which were not different from those of Western population. Coexisting rotator cuff tear was found with 15% incidence in this large series, suggesting that further radiographic study to evaluate rotator cuff tear might be needed in some calcific tendinitis patients of older age and presenting with recurrent symptoms.