Arthroscopically Assisted Latissimus Dorsi Tendon Transfer in Beach-Chair Position

Irreparable rotator cuff tears remain a surgical problem. The open technique of latissimus dorsi (LD) tendon transfer to “replace” the irreparable rotator cuff is already well known. The aim of this article is to present a modified arthroscopically assisted LD tendon transfer technique. This technique was adopted to operate on patients in the beach-chair position with several improvements in tendon harvesting and fixation. It can be divided into 6 steps, and only 1 step—LD muscle and tendon release—is performed open. The advantages of the arthroscopic procedure are sparing of the deltoid muscle, the possibility of repairing the subscapularis tendon, and the ability to visualize structures at risk while performing tendon harvesting (radial nerve) and passing into the subacromial space (axillary nerve). It is performed in a similar manner to standard rotator cuff surgery—the beach-chair position does not need any modification, and no sophisticated equipment for either the open or arthroscopic part of the procedure is necessary. Nevertheless, this is a challenging procedure and should only be attempted after training, as well as extensive practice

Arthroscopic posterior bone block augmentation in posterior shoulder instability

Background: Posterior instability is a relatively rare and challenging condition to treat. Soft-tissue procedures do not always provide satisfactory results. We present the results after arthroscopic posterior bone block augmentation with an iliac crest bone graft and a minimum of 12 months' follow-up. Materials and methods: Between 2008 and 2009, we performed 19 arthroscopic posterior bone blocks on 18 patients with posterior instability (bilaterally in 1 patient). The mean age was 29.85 years at the time of surgery. The mean follow-up was 20.5 months. All patients had a painful, unstable shoulder. Preoperative etiology included trauma, glenoid dysplasia, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and arthrosis with posterior glenoid erosion. Results: The Rowe score improved from 18.4 points to 82.1 points, and the Walch-Duplay score improved from 37.4 points to 82.9 points, both statistically significant (P < .01). Radiologic bone healing was achieved in all cases. Nine cases had an excellent result with return to the previous level of sports, six were satisfied, and three had a persistently painful shoulder. Subsequent removal of screws improved symptoms in two of these patients, and in one patient, a cause for the pain and persistent instability was not found. Conclusion: Arthroscopic posterior bone block augmentation presents a reliable technique for the treatment of symptomatic posterior instability with varying origin. Although this is a technically demanding procedure, in our experience, the potential benefits and minimally invasive nature outweigh the risks and benefits of more invasive procedures.10 page(s