• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2014

Background: To evaluate the efficacy of the subclavian portal approach for the arthroscopic repair of isolated subscapularis tendon tear. Methods: We used the subclavian portal to carry out arthroscopic repair of the isolated subscapularis tendon tear. The surgery was carried out in 18 cases (average age of 53) from May 2006 to December 2009 with a mean follow-up period of 35 months. Of these cases, 13 patients had the tear in their dominant arms, 16 were male, and 12 were from traumatic ruptures with on average 7.6 months of symptom period to operation. Additional surgery, acromioplasty and subacromial debridement, were carried out on 4 cases each during the subscapularis repair. The integrity of cuff status was assessed by ultrasonographic examination at 6 months and at 1 year after operation. Results: The initial average range of motion in forward flexion, external rotation, and internal rotation were $160^{\circ}$, $50^{\circ}$ and L4, respectively. At the 1 year follow-up period, these improved to $160^{\circ}$, $52^{\circ}$ and T12, respectively. The initial average functional scores were assessed by KSS, ASES, UCLA, and Constant scoring systems, which were 67, 60, 26, and 65, respectively. These scores improved progressively with time. At 3 months after operation, the scores were 74, 67, 27, and 74; at 6 months, 83, 77, 31, and 75; at 1 year, 88, 86, 32, and 79; and at the final follow-up of 35 months, 84, 92, 34, and 84. Conclusions: In the repair of isolated subscapularis tendon tear, the subclavian portal approach provided a good angle for anchor insertion and sufficient space to manage the upper portion of the tendon tear. In turn, these provisions resulted in satisfactory clinical results.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.221-225
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• 2009

Purpose: For an isolated tear of the subscapularis tendon, the presented technique using a subclavian portal provides both a good angle for anchor placement and sufficient space for managing the upper portion of a subscapularis tendon tear. Materials and Methods: The conventional method needs 2 additional portals for traction, debriding the footprint and anchor fixation for repair. The presented technique requires only an anterior portal for suture management and a subclavian portal without cannula for suture anchoring and placement of suture hooks. Results: The two suture limbs of the anchor can be placed on the subscapularis tendon by the switching technique and these limbs are repaired sequentially. Conclusion: This technique is simple and reproducible and it can be applied to partial tears and minimally retracted subscapularis tears.

• 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.1 no.2
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• pp.154-159
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• 1998

Medial dislocation of the long head of the biceps brachii is a rare condition that usually occurs in association with tears of the subscapularis, chronic impingement, capsular defects or a fracture of the lesser tuberosity. Less commonly, a biceps tendon dislocation may occur after an acute traumatic event. Following a dislocation, the biceps tendon will assume either an intra- or extra-articular position depending on whether or not the subscapularis tendon detaches from its humeral insertion. Magnetic resonance imaging has been found to provide valuable information concerning the location of the biceps tendon and the integrity of the subscapularis tendon. We present a patient with a traumatic dislocation of the biceps brachii tendon in which the diagnosis remained elusive for an extended period of time. In this case, he was evaluated using MRI and reconstruction was performed by restoring the tendon to its anatomical position.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.126-130
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• 2024

Anterior glenohumeral instability with an irreparable subscapularis tear is a challenging problem for the orthopedic shoulder surgeon. Current techniques, including tendon transfers, yield inconsistent results with high rates of recurrent instability. Acellular dermal allografting has been used in young patients with massive superior rotator cuff tears with early success, but acellular dermal allografting is comparatively unstudied in anterior deficiency. We present two cases of anterior capsular reconstruction with an acellular dermal allograft in patients ages 66 and 58 years with irreparable subscapularis tendon tears. Follow-up for both patients exceeded 4 years, with forward flexion >140°, external rotation exceeding 60°, a Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation score >90 points, a visual analog scale score of 0 points, and an American Shoulder and Elbow Score of 98 points. In conclusion, acellular dermal allografting can be used to reconstruct the anterior capsule in patients with massive irreparable subscapularis tears, similar to its use in superior capsular reconstruction in patients with massive posterosuperior rotator cuff tears.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.61-74
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• 2011

This is a case report about effect of syeom pharmacopuncture, bee venom and autohemo-seperated regeneration pharmacopuncture(ASRP) for acute traumatic subdeltoid bursitis with partial tear of subscapularis tendon, which was diagnosed by symptoms and MRI(Magnetic resonance imaging) and caused by bongchuna treatment. We evaluated the patient using Visual Analogue Scale(VAS) every two or four days and range of movement(ROM), physical examination of shoulder about one per ten days and observed improvement with reexamination by ultrasonography and MRI as well. Pharmacopuncture rapidly reduced pain and improved range of motion and function of shoulder in patients with acute sub-deltoid bursitis even though it was severe symptom. Our result suggest that autohemo-seperated regeneration pharmacopuncture might be effective in regenerating the tear of soft tissue such as subscapularis tendon.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.137-141
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• 2009

Purpose: We wanted to evaluate the results of arthroscopic management of an isolated rupture of the subscapularis tendon using suture anchors. Materials and Methods: Twenty nine patients with unilateral ruptures of the subscapularis tendon and who underwent arthroscopic repair between February 2001 and October 2007 were reviewed prospectively. All the cases were isolated tears of the subscapularis without the involvement of any other rotator cuff tendon. In 19 patients the tear was localized to the superior one third, in 7 cases the tear was localized to the upper two thirds and the entire tendon was involved in 3 cases. The mean follow up period was 12.2 months (range: 6-26 months). The results of the treatment were assessed by evaluating the constant shoulder score and the pain score before surgery and after surgery. Results: The constant shoulder score improved from $49.9\pm7.3$ to $73.8\pm3.0$ points compared to before surgery and the pain score improved from $4.3\pm3.2$ to $11.2\pm3.0$ points postoperatively. Conclusion: Arthroscopic repair of isolated ruptures of the subscapularis tendon using suture anchors is a good option for effectively managing these tears.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.3-8
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• 2019

Background: This study aimed to compare the subscapularis muscle volume between the intact groups (group I) and supraspinatus tendon tear groups (group T) based on the sex and three different age groups. Methods: Subjects with a group I and subjects with group T without any other lesions were retrospectively evaluated from among patients who received a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan between January 2011 and December 2013. The MRI scans were studied by a consultant radiologist. The subscapularis muscle volume was compared according to the age and sex; the age groups were categorized as patients in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. The volume of subscapularis muscle was measured by three-dimensional reconstructed images acquired through the axial section of 1.5T MRI. Results: No statistically significant differences were observed between subscapularis muscle volume of the group I and group T, except for male patients in their 50s (group I: $100,650mm^3$ vs. group T: $106,488mm^3$) and 60s (group I: $76,347mm^3$ vs. group T: $99,549mm^3$) (p<0.05). Males had a larger mean volume of subscapularis muscle than females, and the subscapularis muscle volume decreased in a linear manner with increasing age. Conclusions: Decrease in subscapularis muscle volume was observed with increasing age, and the impact of supraspinatus tear on subscapularis muscle volume is age and sex dependent.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.90-95
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• 2016

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between the type of subscapularis tendon tears diagnosed during arthroscopy and the outcomes of physical tests and of isokinetic muscle strength tests. Methods: We preoperatively evaluated physical outcomes and isokinetic muscle strength of 60 consecutive patients who underwent an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and/or subacromial decompression. We divided the patients into five groups according to the type of subscapularis tear, which we classified using Lafosse classification system during diagnostic arthroscopic surgery. Results: When we performed a trend analysis between the outcomes of the physical tests and the severity of subscapularis tendon tear, we found that both the incidence of positive sign of the collective physical tests and that of individual physical tests increased significantly as the severity of the subscapularis tear increased (p<0.001). Similarly, the deficit in isokinetic muscle strength showed a tendency to increase as the severity of subscapularis tear increased, but this positive correlation was statistically significant in only the deficit between those with Lafosse type II tears and those with Lafosse type III tears. Conclusions: Although no single diagnostic test surpasses above others in predicting the severity of a subscapularis tear, our study implies that, as a collective unit of tests, the total incidence of the positive rate of the physical tests and the extent of isokinetic strength deficit may correlate with severity of subscapularis tears.

• The Academic Congress of Korean Shoulder and Elbow Society
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• 1998.03a
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• pp.58-58
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• 1998