Osteolysis has been reported following ACJ reconstruction with a synthetic graft. We present the first study into its prevalence and pattern, and its effect on patient outcome. Patients who underwent treatment of an unstable ACJ injury using the Surgilig/LockDown implant were identified via our database. Patients were invited to attend a dedicated outpatient clinic for clinical examination, radiographic evaluation, and completion of outcome scoring. Patients who were unable to attend were contacted by telephone. 49 patients were identified. We assessed 21 clinically at a mean of 7 years post-procedure (range 3–11 years). All had radiographic evidence of distal clavicle and coracoid osteolysis. We did not observe progression of osteolysis from the final post-operative radiographs. A further 13 were contacted by phone. The mean Oxford Shoulder Score was 43 (range 31–48) and mean DASH score was 8.5 (range 3–71). The average Patient Global Impression of Change score was 6 (range 2–7). Six patients underwent removal of a prominent screw at a mean of 2 years after surgery; the pattern of osteolysis was no different in this group. All patients had comparable abduction, forward flexion and internal rotation to their uninjured shoulder. We did not observe any relationship between patient demographics, position of implant or etiology and the pattern of osteolysis. Osteolysis of the distal clavicle and/or coracoid is always seen following synthetic reconstruction of the ACJ using this implant, but is non-progressive. Range of shoulder movement is largely unaffected and patient outcomes remain high.
We have undertaken an All of the torn tendons had lower levels of cellular activity than the control group. This activity was lower still in the tissue nearest to the edge of the tear with the larger tears showing the lowest activity. This indicated reduced levels of tissue metabolism and infers a reduction in tendon viability. Our findings suggest that surgical repair of torn tendons of the rotator-cuff should include the more proximal, viable tissue, and may help to explain the high rate of re-rupture seen in larger tears.
We have studied cellular and vascular changes in different stages of full thickness tears of the rotator cuff. We examined biopsies from the supraspinatus tendon in 40 patients with chronic rotator cuff tears who were undergoing surgery and compared them with biopsies from four uninjured subscapularis tendons. Morphological and immunocytochemical methods using monoclonal antibodies directed against leucocytes, macrophages, mast cells, proliferative and vascular markers were used. Histological changes indicative of repair and inflammation were most evident in small sized rotator cuff tears with increased fibroblast cellularity and intimal hyperplasia, together with increased expression of leucocyte and vascular markers. These reparative and inflammatory changes diminished as the size of the rotator cuff tear increased. Marked oedema and degeneration was seen in large and massive tears, which more often showed chondroid metaplasia and amyloid deposition. There was no association between the age of the patient and the duration of symptoms. In contrast, large and massive tears showed no increase in the number of inflammatory cells and blood vessels. Small sized rotator cuff tears retained the greatest potential to heal, showing increased fibroblast cellularity, blood vessel proliferation and the presence of a significant inflammatory component. Tissue from large and massive tears is of such a degenerative nature that it may be a significant cause of re-rupture after surgical repair and could make healing improbable in this group.
