Sports - Upper Extremity Flashcards
What is the rotator interval of the shoulder?
[DeLee & Drez’s, 2015]
- Triangular space formed by:
- Supraspinatus
- Subscapularis
- Glenoid
- Contents
- Coracohumeral ligament
- Superior glenohumeral ligament
- Joint capsule

What is the critical shoulder angle (CSA)?
[JBJS REVIEWS 2018;6(8):e1]
- CSA is the angle between the plane of the glenoid fossa (the line from the inferior edge of the glenoid to the superior edge of the glenoid) and a line drawn from the inferior edge of the glenoid to the lateral edge of the acromion on a true anteroposterior (Grashey) shoulder radiograph
* Accounts for contributions from both glenoid inclination and lateral acromial length - Normal = 30-35°
- <30 = increased risk for GH arthritis
- Decreased CSA (<30°) increases compressive forces across the glenohumeral joint
- >35 = increased risk for rotator cuff tear
- Increased CSA (>35°) is thought to alter deltoid vectors, which results in increased superior shear forces on the rotator cuff muscles

What is the epidemiology of rotator cuff tears?
[Clin Sports Med 31 (2012) 589–604]
- Full thickness tear is present in 25% of patients in their 60s and 50% of patients in their 80s
- 50% of patients >65 with a symptomatic full thickness tear will have an asymptomatic full thickness tear on the contralateral side
- 50% of asymptomatic tears develop symptoms in 2-3 years
- 50% of symptomatic tears increase in size
What are the indications for surgery for rotator cuff tears? (Sports Med Arthrosc Rev 2018;26:129-133]
new
- Persistent pain despite nonoperative treatment (4-6 months)
- Options
- Decompression with arthroscopic acromioplasty +/- debridement
- Indication - impingement, low grade partial articular sided tear
- Rotator cuff repair
- Indication - symptomatic full-thickness tears, acute bursal-sided partial thickness tears that involve >25% of tendon thickness and partial articular sided tears involving >50% of tendon thickness
- Decompression with arthroscopic acromioplasty +/- debridement
What is the primary function of the rotator cuff? [Operative Techniques in Orthopaedics, Vol 12, No 3, 2002: pp 140-155/
new
- The primary function of the rotator cuff is to balance the force couples about the glenohumeral joint
- Transverse plane force couple = subscapularis and posterior rotator cuff (infraspinatus, teres
minor) - Coronal plane force couple = deltoid and inferior rotator cuff (infraspinatus, teres minor,
subscap)
- Transverse plane force couple = subscapularis and posterior rotator cuff (infraspinatus, teres
- The primary goal of rotator cuff repair is to balance force couples
Where is the ‘bare area’ located in the proximal humerus?
[J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2014;22:521-534]
- It is the triangular area between the humeral head articular surface and the medial margin of the posterior cuff insertion
- The superior apex of the triangle is where the supraspinatus and infraspinatus fibres converge

Where does the rotator cuff re-tear or failure of healing occur?
[JAAOS 2017;25:e261-e271]
Tendon-bone interface
Although adequate pain relief and patient satisfaction can be achieved in the absence of tendon healing following RTC repair, what are the benefits of tendon healing?
[JAAOS 2017;25:e261-e271]
- Higher strength
- Increased function
- Higher outcome scores
What risk factors are associated with lower tendon-bone RTC healing following repair?
[JAAOS 2017;25:e261-e271]
- Increased age
- Osteoporosis (independent of age)
- Chronic rotator cuff tear
- Muscle atrophy
- Fatty degeneration
- Larger size
- Tobacco use
- Low initial fixation strength
- Larger gap
- High tension repair
what is the goal of partial Rc repair when complete repair is not feasible in massive RC tears
balance the force couples about the GH joint (restores equilibirum, stability and function)
what is the anatomy and function of the native GH superior capsule
new
- superior capsule lies between the rotator cuff and the joint space on the undersurface of supra and infra tendons
- attaches medially to the superior glenoid and laterally to the GT
- functions as a static stability to superior translation of the humeral head
- becomes disrupted with RC tears and loses its function
what are the mechanisms by which superior capsular reconstruction is believed to work in the setting of massive RC tears
- soft tissue spacer (prevents contact between the humeral head and the undersurface of the acromion)
- trampoline effect (graft physically holds the humeral head inferiorly to improve acromiohumeral clearance)
- restores RC force couples
what are the indications for superior capsular reconstruction?
new
- massive irreparable supraspinatus and/or infraspinatus tear
- minimal to no arthritis
- functioning deltoid
- not suitable for rTSA (young, active)
what are graft choices recommended for arthroscopic superior capsular reconstruction
new
- fascia lata autograft (6-8mm thickness)
- dermal allograft (≥ 3mm thickness)
how is the graft secured in an arthroscopic superior capsular reconstruction
new
- secured by multiple anchors medially at the superior glenoid rim and laterally at the GT
- posterior margin convergence between the superior capsule graft and infra or teres minor is also recommended (important for the RC force couple and ER)
What are the classification systems used to describe RTC tears?
[J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2014;22:521-534]
- DeOrio and Cofield - rotator cuff tear size
- Measurement based on “length of the greatest diameter of the tear” (i.e. AP or ML)
- Small =0-1 cm
- Medium =1-3cm
- Large =3-5cm
- e. Massive =>5cm
- Patte classification – D**egree of retraction
- Stage 1 = lateral margin of cuff close to footprint area
- Stage 2 = lateral margin of cuff at level of humeral head
- Stage 3 = lateral margin of cuff at level of glenoid
- Goutallier Staging System – Fatty infiltration
- Stage 0 - normal muscle
- Stage 1 - some fatty streaks
- Stage 2 - amount of muscle is greater than fatty streaks (<50% fat)
- Stage 3 - amount of muscle is equal to fatty streaks (50% fat)
- Stage 4 - amount of muscle is less than fatty streaks (>50% fat)
- Thomazeau classification – Muscle atrophy
- Stage 1 - normal or slight atrophy
- Occupation ratio = 0.6-1
- Stage 2 - moderate atrophy
- Occupation ratio = 0.4-0.6
- Stage 3 - severe atrophy
- Occupation ratio = <0.4
- Ellman classification – Degree of partial thickness tear
- Grade 1 - tear <3mm in depth
- Grade 2 - tear 3-6mm in depth
- Does not exceed 50% of tendon thickness
- Grade 3 - tear >6mm in depth
- Involves > 50% of tendon thickness
- Snyder classification – Tear type
- Type A - Articular sided partial tear
- Type B - Bursal sided partial tear
- Type C - Complete tear

What is the classification of rotator cuff tear shape proposed by Davidson and Burkhart; Describe repair of each shape?
[J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2014;22:521-534]
- Crescent-shaped
- Most common
- Excellent medial-lateral mobility allowing tension-free repair back to GT
- U-shape and V-shape
- Apex of tear extends farther medial toward glenoid
- Medial-lateral mobility is limited, anterior-posterior mobility is adequate
- Repair by “margin convergence”
- Suture free margins together converting tear into a smaller crescent tear
- L-shape and reverse L-shape
- Have both a transverse and longitudinal component
- L-shape tears propagate along the interval between the supraspinatus and infraspinatus
- Reverse L-shape tears propagate through the rotator interval
- One edge is more mobile than the other
- Repair by technique similar to “margin convergence”
4. Massive, contracted, immobile - L-shaped or U-shaped
- Immobile in both AP and ML direction
- Interval slide technique to enhance mobility
- Anterior interval slide
- Incise the superior margin of the rotator interval and the CHL at the corocoid base
- Posterior interval slide
- Incise the interval between supraspinatus and infraspinatus towards the scapular spine
- ***Suprascapular nerve at risk
- Anterior interval slide
- Management options [JSES 2015; 24, 1493-1505]
- Nonoperative management
- Arthroscopic debridement with biceps tenotomy or tenodesis
- Complete repair
- Partial repair
- Patch augmentation
- Superior capsular reconstruction
- Tendon transfer
- Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty

What angle should a suture anchor be inserted to increase an anchors resistance to pullout?
45 degrees (the Deadman Angle)

What is the definition of a ‘massive’ RTC tear?
[International Orthopaedics (2015) 39:2403–2414]
Various definitions exist:
- >5cm tear in either the A-P or M-L direction (Cofield)
- Complete tears of at least 2 RTC tendons (Gerber)
- Coronal length and sagittal width ≥2cm on MRI (Donaldson)
What is the classification of massive rotator cuffs based on location?
[J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2013;21:492-501]
- Posterosuperior
* Involving the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and possibly teres minor - Anterosuperior
* Involving the subscapularis and supraspinatus
What factors should be considered when determining if a RTC tear is repairable or irreparable?
[J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2013;21:492-501]
- Size
- Retraction
- Fatty infiltration and atrophy
* Goutallier stage 3-4 = generally considered irreparable - Acromiohumeral distance
* <7mm = generally considered irreparable - Static vs. dynamic superior migration
* Static migration = generally considered irreparable
What tendon transfers can be considered for irreparable RTC tears?
[J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2013;21:492-501]
- Latissimus dorsi for irreparable posterosuperior tears
- Pectoralis major for irreparable anterosuperior tears

What is the classification system for fatty infiltration on CT/MRI?
[J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2013;21:492-501]
Goutallier Staging System
- Stage 0 - normal muscle
- Stage 1 - some fatty streaks
- Stage 2 - amount of muscle is greater than fatty streaks (<50% fat)
- Stage 3 - amount of muscle is equal to fatty streaks (50% fat)
- Stage 4 - amount of muscle is less than fatty streaks (>50% fat)
***Note – fatty infiltration is not reversible

What factors contribute to retear rates after repair of massive RTC tears?
[J Shoulder Elbow Surg (2015) 24, 1493-1505]
- Increased fatty infiltration
- Decreased acromiohumeral space
- Smoking
- Size of the rotator cuff tear
- Increased tension on the repair





































