• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.257-264
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• 2022

Background: Chronic subscapularis tendon tear (SBT) is a degenerative disease and a common pathologic cause of shoulder pain. Several potential risk factors for chronic SBT have been reported. Although metabolic abnormalities are common risk factors for degenerative disease, their potential etiological roles in chronic SBT remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate potential risk factors for chronic SBT, with particular attention to metabolic factors. Methods: This study evaluated single shoulders of 939 rural residents. Each subject undertook a questionnaire, physical examinations, blood tests, and simple radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluations of bilateral shoulders. Subscapularis tendon integrity was determined by MRI findings based on the thickness of the involved tendons. The association strengths of demographic, physical, social, and radiologic factors, comorbidities, severity of rotator cuff tear (RCT), and serologic parameters for SBT were evaluated using logistic regression analyses. The significance of those analyses was set at p<0.05. Results: The prevalence of SBT was 32.2% (302/939). The prevalence of partial- and full-thickness tears was 23.5% (221/939) and 8.6% (81/939), respectively. The prevalence of isolated SBT was 20.2% (190/939), SBT combined with supraspinatus or infraspinatus tendon tear was 11.9% (112/939). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, dominant side involvement (p<0.001), manual labor (p=0.002), diabetes (p<0.001), metabolic syndrome (p<0.001), retraction degree of Patte tendon (p<0.001), posterosuperior RCT (p=0.010), and biceps tendon injury (p<0.001) were significantly associated with SBT. Conclusions: Metabolic syndrome is a potential risk factor for SBT, as are these factors: overuse activity, diabetes, posterosuperior RCT, increased retraction of posterosuperior rotator cuff tendon, and biceps tendon injury.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.13-16
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• 2001

Object: To determine the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of an empty can test for diagnosing supraspinatus tendon tear. Methods: We reviewed 146 patients who have shoulder pain with limited active range of motion. We evaluated patients according to empty can test. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for supraspinatus test was estimated using arthroscopic evaluation. Results: A hundred and twenty-four of 127 cases with positive empty can test had supraspinatus tendon tear. Of 19 samples with negative empty can test, 15 had no supraspinatus tear. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for the empty can test were 97.6%, 83.3%, 97.6%, and 78.9%, respectively. Conclusions: Empty can test was found to have a high sensitivity and good positive predictive value in identifying the tear of rotator cuff tendon. We concluded that empty can test of the shoulder is a reliable diagnostic method which could be used for the diagnosis of rotator cuff tear.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2011

Purpose: Not much is known about the obvious relationship between posteroinferior rotator cuff tear and biceps lesion. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of posteroinferior rotator cuff tear on a biceps lesions by comparing the rotator cuff tear and biceps lesions with the number of cuff tears and the degree of degeneration of the rotator cuff. Materials and Methods: 65 patients who underwent surgery for a posteroinferior rotator cuff tear from 2002 to 2009 were included as subjects. The study determined the factors (the number of cuff tears and the degree of degeneration as assessed by MRI) that affected biceps lesions and the kinematic stability of the rotator cuff. Results: Biceps lesion was noted 11 patients among the 51 patients with supraspinatus tendon tears and in 8 patients among the 14 patients with supraspinatus, infraspinatus or teres minor tendon tears, and there was a statistically significant difference between those two groups (p=0.0095). The number of cuff tears was proportional to biceps lesion with statistical significance (p=0.0095). Among the biceps lesions, SLAP II lesion showed a statistically different distribution according to the number of cuff tears (p=0.0073). The degeneration factors (Goutallier's classification and the tangent sign) had no correlations with biceps lesion. Conclusion: Posterosuperior cuff tear may affect biceps lesion. Especially, the number of cuff tears has a close relationship, but the degenerative indicators have no relationship with biceps lesion.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.60-66
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• 2016

Background: Management of massive rotator cuff tears can be challenging because of the less satisfactory results and a higher retear rate regardless of the use of open or arthroscopic repair technique. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 102 cases of massive rotator cuff tear treated with either open or arthroscopic repair. Open repair was performed in 38 patients; and arthroscopic repair, in 64 patients. The mean age at the time of surgery was 59.7 years in the open group and 57.6 years in the arthroscopic group. Results: The Constant score increased from the preoperative mean of 55.9 to 73.2 at the last follow-up in the open repair group and from 53.8 to 67.6 in the arthroscopic repair group (p<0.001 and <0.001, respectively). The University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) score increased from a preoperative mean of 17.7 to 30.8 at the last follow-up in the open group and from 17.5 to 28.7 in the arthroscopic group (p<0.001 and <0.001, respectively). No statistically significant difference in the Constant and UCLA scores was observed between the two groups at the last follow-up (p=0.128 and 0.087, respectively). Retear was found in 14 patients (36.8%) in the open group and 39 patients (60.9%) in the arthroscopic group (p=0.024). Conclusions: Open and arthroscopic repairs of massive rotator cuff tears may provide satisfactory clinical results with no significant difference. However, a significantly lower retear rate was observed for the open repair group compared with the arthroscopic repair group.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.224-230
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• 2021

Background: Local anesthetics often are used in rotator cuff tears as therapeutic tools, although some cases have reported that they have detrimental effects. Neurotropin (NTP) is used widely in Japan as a treatment for various chronic pain conditions and is shown to have protective effects on cartilage and nerve cells. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of NTP against lidocaine-induced cytotoxicity. Methods: Tenocytes from rotator cuff tendons were incubated with lidocaine, NTP, lidocaine with NTP, and a control medium. Cell viability was evaluated using the WST-8 assay. Cell apoptosis was detected via annexin V staining using flow cytometry. The expression of BCL-2 and cytochrome c, which are involved in the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis, was evaluated via Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining. Results: In the cell viability assay, lidocaine decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, and NTP did not affect cell viability. Moreover, NTP significantly inhibited the cytotoxic effect of lidocaine. The flow cytometry analysis showed that lidocaine significantly induced apoptosis in tenocytes, and NTP considerably inhibited this lidocaine-induced apoptosis. Western blotting experiments showed that lidocaine decreased the protein expression of BCL-2, and that NTP conserved the expression of BCL-2, even when used with lidocaine. Immunohistochemical staining for cytochrome c showed that 0.1% lidocaine increased cytochrome c-positive cells, and NTP suppressed lidocaine-induced cytochrome c expression. Conclusions: NTP suppresses lidocaine-induced apoptosis of tenocytes by inhibiting the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Intra-articular/bursal injection of NTP with lidocaine could protect tenocytes in rotator cuff tendons against lidocaine-induced apoptosis.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.189-194
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• 2017

Background: Few studies have reported the results of arthroscopic coracoplasty concomitantly conducted with subscapularis tear. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine and compare the outcomes of arthroscopic subscapularis repair after arthroscopic coracoplasty using either the subacromial approach or rotator interval approach. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 51 patients who underwent coracoplasty with subscapularis repair. The patients were grouped according to whether the subacromial approach group (24 patients) or rotator interval approach group (27 patients) was used during coracoplasty. Preoperative and postoperative visual analogue scale scores, American shoulder and elbow surgeons scores, Korean shoulder scores, and range of motion (ROM) were assessed. Assessment of repaired rotator cuff tendon integrity was performed at 1 year after surgery using either magnetic resonance imaging or ultrasonography. Results: At final follow-up, overall functional scores and ROM improved significantly in both groups when compared with preoperative values (p>0.05). The re-tear rates were not significantly different between groups; however, the rotator interval approach group showed a significant increase in ROM compared with that in the subacromial approach group (p<0.05). Conclusions: Arthroscopic coracoplasty conducted concomitantly with subscapularis repair can provide a satisfactory outcome. There were no significant differences between the two approach groups regarding final functional scores and re-tear rates. However, the rotator interval approach group showed a greater increase in ROM at final follow-up, especially in external rotation.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 2007

Purpose: To evaluate any combined rotator cuff pathologies in adhesive capsulitis patients with magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) or ultrasonography (USG), and to see any differences in findings between MRA and USG. Materials and Methods: From June to December 2005, 80 consecutive patients with adhesive capsulitis were prospectively evaluated with either MRA or USG. Two groups were randomly assigned for examination. Evaluation were focused on any combined rotator cuff pathologies especially supraspinatus tendon. Results: Small (less than 1 cm) full-thickness SSP tendon tear were seen in 6 patients (MRA 4, USG 2, 8%) and partial-thickness SSP tendon tears in 21 (MRA 12, USG 9, 26%). In addition, supraspinatus tendinopathy were seen in 15 patients (MRA 7, USG 8, 19%). Overall, various SSP pathologies were reported in 42 patients (53%) of the study objects (MRA 23, 68% and USG 19, 41%). Subscapularis tendon partial tears were reported in 9 patients (MRA 6, USG 3, 11%). There were no statistical differences of the findings between MRA and USG in detecting rotator cuff pathologies (p>0.5). Conclusion: Nearly one half of the adhesive capsulitis patients showed various supraspinatus tendon pathology in MRA or USG. Although MRA group showed slight higher percentage of associated rotator cuff pathology than USG group (without statistical significance), this could be attributed to better resolution capacity of MRA than USG.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.72-78
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• 2012

The rotator cuff is situated in a potential tight subacromial space and undergoes senescent structural changes commonly observed in other joints of the body. When the cuff fails, spontaneous healing of the torn tendon is not expected to occur, and multiple factors may be responsible. Its fibers are under tension and typically retract on tearing. The subacromial bursal inflammation and alterations in normal glenohumeral kinematics have been considered in the development of symptoms. Controversy continues to exist concerning the pathogenesis of rotator cuff disease. The heterogeneity of the disorder, as well as the notion that rotator cuff disease may not actually represent a continuum of the same process, but rather, is a compilation of independent disorders, may partly explain the differing viewpoints on its origin. Two contrasting pathogenetic mechanisms have been extensively described and include vascular, or intrinsic, causes and impingement, or extrinsic, factors. Other etiologies have also been reported that include trauma, congenital or developmental factors, and instability. For successful treatment of the rotator cuff diseases, it is essential to understand the structure and function of rotator cuff and to clarify the pathogenesis and natural history of its disorder.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.94-97
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• 2004

Herpes zoster presents clinically with cutaneous vesicular eruption and pain along the dermatome, but it can sometimes cause muscular paralysis. When the disease involves cervical root, it is included in the differential diagnosis of shoulder diseases. A sixty-six year old patient, complaining of severe pain and weakness of his left shoulder, was referred to the authors as having a partial tear of the supraspinatus tendon on MRI. However, the authors found out a paralysis of the sixth cervical root in the patient by electrophysiologic studies, noting that the patient had been affected with a herpes eruption in the neck and arm two months before. Zoster paresis has been reported to be associated with the cutaneous eruption within two weeks of its onset, making its diagnosis not so difficult. The authors report a case of delayed-onset muscular paralysis after cutaneous herpes zoster, which presented just like a rotator cuff tear.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.82-89
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• 2008

Ideal rotator cuff repair is to maintain high fixation strength and minimize gap formation for optimizing the environment of biologic healing of tendon to bone. Among the current repair techniques, the suture bridge technique is superior to single- or double-row repair in ultimate load to failure, gap formation, restoring anatomical footprint and achieving pressurized contact area. The suture bridge technique also minimizes gap formation and has rotational and torsional resistances allowing early rehabilitation. However, despite superior biomechanical characteristics of the suture bridge technique, there is no evidence that these mechanical advantages result in better clinical outcomes. Furthermore, there is no difference in failure rates between the double-row repair and suture bridge techniques. An appropriate repair technique should be determined based on tear size and pattern and tendon quality.