• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2009

Purpose: We wanted to evaluate the effectiveness of inferior capsular plication for treating the anterior instability of the shoulder by comparing the prospective outcomes and the incidence of complications of the group (group1) that underwent arthroscopic vertical shift of the anteroinferior capsulo-labral complex and plication of the anterior band of inferior glenohumeral ligament and the group (group2) that underwent inferior capsular plication that was augmentated by the same method. Materials and Methods: From March 2005 to August 2007, we compared group 1 (42 cases) that underwent arthroscopic vertical shift of the anteroinferior capsulo-labral complex and plication of the anterior band of the inferior glenohumeral ligament and group 2 (33 cases) that underwent augmentated inferior capsular plication for recurrent anterior instability of the shoulder. The mean age was 22.5 years (range: 17~31 years) in group I, and 21.8 years (range: 16~30 years) in group II. The mean follow up was 23.5 months (range: 12~45 months in group I, and 20.1 months (range: 12~49 months) in group II. We checked the Rowe score and ROM preoperatively and at postoperative 6 months, 1 year and at the last follow up and we compared the incidence of complications. Results: The Rowe score increased from a preoperative mean of 20.6 to the last follow up mean of 86.8 after surgery in group I, and the Rowe score increased from a preoperative mean of 20.5 to the last follow up mean of 94.1 after surgery in group II. For the anterior instability of the shoulder, arthroscopic reconstruction had a good outcome in all of the cases, but group II had better outcomes and less complications than did group I (p<0.05). Conclusion: We thought that arthroscopic vertical shift of the anteroinferior capsulo-labral complex and plication of the anterior band of the inferior glenohumeral ligament with inferior capsular plication can lower the complication rate and show better outcomes.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.207-214
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• 2009

Purpose: In arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs there are generally weak link in tendon suture interface, arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs can have higher retear rates than open repairs. The purpose of this study was to compare the strength of UU (Ulsan University) suture than open modified MA (Mason-Allen) suture when suture anchored into bone. Materials and Methods: The human supraspinatus tendons were harvested from the shoulder of the cadaver and split in 2 times, producing four tendons per one shoulder, for a total of 24 specimens. Two suture configurations (UU, MA) were randomized and checked on each set of tendons. Specimens were cyclically loaded under force control between 5 and 30 N at 0.25 Hz for fifty cycles. Each specimen was loaded to failure under displacement control at 1 mm/sec. Cyclic elongation, peak to peak displacement, stiffness, ultimate tensile load, mode of failure were checked. Results: No significant difference was found between two suture configuration with respect to peak to peak displacement, cyclic elongation, and stiffness. With regard to ultimate failure load, there were no significant difference statistically between the UU suture and modified MA suture (109.4 N, 110.6 N). The most common mode of failure between both sutures was suture pull-out through the tendon. Conclusion: The UU suture and modified MA suture produced similar biomechanical properties.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.115-125
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the usefulness of CT arthrography (CTA) by conducting a comparative study of CTA and MR arthrography (MRA) with the arthroscopic findings in the same patients. Materials and methods: Forty nine patients who suffered from shoulder disease underwent MRA and CTA concurrently. The sensitivity and specificity of CTA was evaluated, as compared to MRA, in the case of four types of shoulder pathological lesions. The accuracy of CTA was evaluated by analyzing the arthroscopic findings of thirty four patients. Results: Compared to MRA, CTA showed a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 100% for diagnosing supraspinatus tendon (SST) full thickness tear, and CTA showed a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 97.5% for making the diagnosis of superior labrum anterior to posterior (SLAP) lesion. For diagnosing partial articular side supraspinatus avulsion (PASTA) lesion, some studies have shown the usefulness of CTA with a sensitivity of 71.4% and a specificity of 97.7%. However, for diagnosing SST bursal side partial tear, the sensitivity of CTA was as low as 10%. CTA has been shown to be relatively accurate when the diagnoses were verified with the arthroscopic findings; diagnosing SST full thickness tear and SLAP lesion with CTA has shown an accuracy of 100% and87.5% respectively, and CTA showed 71.4% diagnostic accuracy for PASTA lesion. Conclusion: CTA was a useful tool and it was equivalent to MRA for the assessment of SST full thickness tear, SLAP lesion and PASTA lesion, but not bursal side partial tear. Thus, it may be used preferably to diagnose shoulder pathology and for follow up as an inexpensive tool after operation.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.199-206
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• 2009

Purpose: Our goal for this study was to prospectively evaluate the functional & structural outcomes, by means of CT arthroscopy, of arthroscopic double-row fixation for treating rotator cuff tear. We also attempted to determine the variants that affect the functional & structural outcomes. Materials and Methods: Twenty seven consecutive patients underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with double-row fixation. The average age at the time of the operation was fifty six years. The preoperative and postoperative examinations consisted of determining the Constant score, the score for the visual analogue scale for pain, the UCLA score, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, as well as a full physical examination of the shoulder. Preoperative MR arthrography was used to evaluate the integrity and atrophy of the rotator cuff. We measured the intraoperative tear size in the sagittal and coronal planes. Postoperative CT arthrography was used at one year postoperatively to evaluate the integrity and atrophy of the repaired tendons and muscles. Results: Preoperative MR arthrography revealed an average 29.22 mm tear size in the sagittal plane and an average 22.72 mm tear size in the coronal plane. Twelve cases of supraspinatus muscle atrophy and two cases of infraspinatus atrophy were observed on the preoperative MR arthrography. The average clinical outcome scores all significantly improved at the time of follow-up. At a mean of one year postoperatively, CT arthrography revealed 48.1% of the shoulders had healed, 11.1% showed incomplete healing and 40.7% showed retear of the repaired tendon. Conclusion: Arthroscopic double-row repair can result in improved clinical outcomes and good patient satisfaction. However, the problems about how to enhance healing of the repaired tendon still remain.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.86-90
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• 2012

Purpose: We studied the need for distal clavicle resection by comparing rotator cuff tear patients who underwent non-surgical treatment with and without acromioclavicular joint pathology. Materials and Methods: 45 cases that had been under follow up care for at least 9 months after receiving rotator cuff repair in our hospital between Jan. 2005 and Jun. 2011 had been studied. Acromioclavicular joint pathology group and control group were classified by physical examination and MRI findings. The temporal changes in shoulder joint abduction, internal and external rotation strength, ASES and KSS score of the two groups were measured and analyzed. Results: The acromioclavicular joint pathology complicated rotator cuff injury group's strength measurements for abduction, internal rotation, external rotation were each 8.05 (${\pm}4.54$), 11.33 (${\pm}6.05$), 10.24 (${\pm}5.27$) preoperatively and improved to 13.26 (${\pm}5.50$), 17.51 (${\pm}6.80$), 15.60 (${\pm}5.37$) post operatively while the KSS score and ASES score were each 49.07 (${\pm}15.28$) and 48.65 (${\pm}13.27$) preoperatively, improving to 84.48 (${\pm}10.96$) and 84.65. (${\pm}9.86$). The measurements for the group without complicating acromioclavicular pathology are as follows. The strength for abduction, internal rotation, external rotation was each 6.42 (${\pm}3.11$), 7.59 (${\pm}4.81$) and 7.93 (${\pm}4.49$) preoperatively, improving to 15.85 (${\pm}7.35$), 19.18 (${\pm}9.14$), 16.95 (${\pm}5.70$) post operatively, while the KSS score and ASES score each went from 42.12 (${\pm}6.43$) and 41.37 (${\pm}7.42$) to 83.44 (${\pm}6.30$) and 83.17 (${\pm}7.01$) respectively. The measurements for the two groups, however, did not show a statistically significant difference (p>0.05). Conclusion: Analysis of the rotator cuff injury groups with and without AC joint pathology showed that both groups had improved strength, ASES and KSS scores with no statistical difference difference among the groups. As such, it thought that conservative treatment is an acceptable alternative to distal clavicle resection.