Objective To explore the effectiveness of the arthroscopic separate double-layer suture bridge technique in treatment of the delaminated rotator cuff tear. Methods Between May 2013 and May 2015, 54 patients with the delaminated rotator cuff tears were recruited in the study. They were randomly allocated into 2 groups to receive repair either using arthroscopic separate double-layer suture bridge technique (trial group, n=28) or using arthroscopic whole-layer suture bridge technique (control group, n=26). There was no significant difference in gender, age, injured side, tear type, and preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Constants score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) score, and the range of motion of shoulder joint between 2 groups (P>0.05). Postoperative functional scores, range of motion, and recurrence rate of tear in 2 groups were observed and compared. Results The operation time was significant longer in trial group than in control group (t=8.383, P=0.000). All incisions healed at stage Ⅰ without postoperative complication. All the patients were followed up 12 months. At 12 months postoperatively, the UCLA score, ASES score, VAS score, Constant score, and the range of motion were significantly improved when compared with the preoperative values in 2 groups (P<0.05). However there was no significant difference in above indexes between 2 groups (P>0.05). Four cases (14.3%) of rotator cuff tear recurred in trial group while 5 cases (19.2%) in control group, showing no significant difference (χ2=0.237, P=0.626). Conclusion Compared with the arthroscopic whole-layer suture bridge technique, arthroscopic separate double-layer suture bridge technique presents no significant difference in the shoulder function score, the range of motion, and recurrence of rotator cuff tear, while having a longer operation time.
Objective To investigate the effectiveness of transosseous suture in medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) double bundle reconstruction. Methods The clinical data of 75 patients with recurrent patella dislocation who met the selection criteria between January 2014 and December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. All of them were treated with MPFL double bundle reconstruction, and divided into study group (39 cases, using new transosseous suture technique) and control group (36 cases, using traditional suture anchor fixation) depending on the intraoperative fixation technique. There was no significant difference in gender, age, body mass index, affected knee side, preoperative tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove distance, Insall-Salvati ratio, knee range of motion, Kujala score, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, congruence angle, and tilt angle between the two groups (P>0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, and postoperative complications were recorded and compared between the two groups. Kujala score, IKDC score, and knee range of motion were used to evaluate the functional improvement of patients before and after operation. The congruence angle and tilt angle were measured on X-ray films. Results There was no significant difference in operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and hospital stay between the two groups (P>0.05). Patients in both groups were followed up 24-36 months, with an average of 29.4 months. There was no complication such as incision infection, fat liquefaction, patellar redislocation, and prepatellar pain during follow-up. At last follow-up, the Kujala score, IKDC score, knee range of motion, congruence angle, and tilt angle of two groups significantly improved when compared with those before operation (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). ConclusionThe application of suture anchor or transosseous suture to complete MPFL double bundle reconstruction can restore patellar stability, and there is no significant difference in the short-term effectiveness between them.
Objective To evaluate the biomechanical property of tendons repaired with the modified Kessler suture combined with " 8” suture, and to provide evidence for the clinical application of this suture methods in repairing acute Achilles tendon rupture. Methods Forty frozen flexor digitorum longus tendons from fresh pork hind leg were randomly assigned into 4 groups, 10 specimens each group. In group A, the tendons were dissected transversely at the midpoint to forming the model of tendon with transversely cutting injury. The tendons in groups B, C, and D were dissected transversely at the midpoint, then a 2 cm segment of tendon from the incision in each side was dissected longitudinally with 1 mm internal to forming " frayed tendon” model. All the tendons were sutured with2-0 non-absorbable suture material with different suturing methods: in group A, the tendons with transversely cutting injury model with Krackow suture, and in the groups B, C, and D with Krackow suture, Kessler suture, and the modified Kessler suture combined with " 8” suture separately. All repaired tendons were fixed onto the biomechanical testing machine. The length, width, and thickness of each side and midpoint of the tendons were recorded, and the cross-sectional area was calculated. The tendons were stretched at a speed of 15 mm/minutes until failure (suture avulsion or rupture). The computer automatically recorded the maximum load, stress, strain, the failure displacement, and the stiffness. These biomechanical parameters of tendons in different groups were analyzed and compared. Results There was no significant difference in the length and cross-sectional area of each tendon among 4 groups (F=0.245, P=0.863; F=0.094, P=0.963). Two tendons in group B, 1 in group C, and 1 in group D were excluded because of tendon slipping; all tendons in group A and 8 tendons in group B failured due to suture rupture, 9 tendons in group C due to suture slipping, and 9 tendons in group D due to 3 sutures slipping from tendon tissue together. The maximum load, the maximum stress, the maximum strain, the failure displacement, and the stiffness of the tendons between groups A and B showed no significant difference (P>0.05). The maximum load, the maximum stress, and the stiffness of the tendons in group D were larger than those in both groups B and C (P<0.05), but no significant difference was found in the maximum strain and the failure displacement between groups B, C, and D (P>0.05). The maximum load, the maximum stress, the failure displacement, and the stiffness of the tendons in group B were larger than those in group C (P<0.05), but the difference of maximum strain between groups B and C was not significant (P>0.05). Conclusion The modified Kessler suture combined with " 8” suture can provide better biomechanical property of the repaired tendon compared with other suture approaches.
Objective To explore the early effectiveness of arthroscopic tri-anchor double-pulley suture-bridge in treatment of medium-size supraspinatus tendon tears. Methods Between December 2020 and January 2023, 40 patients with medium-size supraspinatus tendon tears were treated with arthroscopic tri-anchor double-pulley suture-bridge. There were 18 males and 22 females, with an average age of 62.6 years (mean, 45-73 years). Among them, 17 patients had trauma history. The main clinical symptom was shoulder pain with hug resistance test (+). The interval from symptom onset to operation was 10.7 months on average (range, 3-36 months). Visual analogue scale (VAS) score, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and shoulder range of motion (ROM) of forward flexion, abduction, and external rotation were used to evaluate shoulder function. MRI was performed to assess the structural integrity and tension of reattached tendon. Patient satisfactions were calculated at last follow-up. Results All incisions healed by first intention, no complications such as incision infection or nerve injury occurred. All patients were followed up 12-37 months (mean, 18.2 months). At 12 months after operation, VAS score, UCLA score, and ASES score significantly improved when compared with the preoperative scores (P<0.05). At 3 and 12 months after operation, the ROM of external rotation significantly improved when compared with preoperative one (P<0.05), and further improved at 12 months after operation (P<0.05). However, the ROMs of abduction and forward flexion did not improve at 3 months after operation when compared with those before operation (P>0.05), but significantly improved at 12 months after operation (P<0.05). Twenty-six patients underwent MRI at 3-6 months, of which 23 patients possessed intact structural integrity, good tendon tension, and tendon healing; 3 patients underwent tendon re-tear. The self-rated satisfaction rate was 92.5% at last follow-up. Conclusion Arthroscopic tri-anchor double-pulley suture-bridge in treatment of medium-size supraspinatus tendon tears can maximize the tendon-bone contact area, obtain satisfied early effectiveness with high satisfaction rate and low incidence of tendon re-tear. However, the function of abduction is limited at 3 months after operation, and patients need to adhere to rehabilitation training to further improve the joint activity.
Objective To assess the effectiveness of suture button fixation Latarjet procedure under total arthroscopy for anterior shoulder instability with severe bone defects. MethodsThe clinical data of 15 patients with severe bone defects and anterior shoulder instability treated with suture button fixation Latarjet procedure under total arthroscopy between June 2020 and February 2023 was retrospectively analyzed, including 11 males and 4 females, with an average age of 31.1 years (range, 20-54 years). Three-dimensional CT showed that the average glenoid bone defect was 24.4% (range, 16.3%-35.2%). The average number of shoulder dislocation was 4.2 times (range, 3-8 times). The disease duration ranged from 6 to 21 months with an average of 10.6 months. The operation time and intraoperative blood loss were recorded. The pain relief was evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and the functional recovery of shoulder joint was evaluated by Rowe score, Walch-Duplay score, and American Association for Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (ASES) score before and after operation. The range of motion (ROM) of the shoulder joint was assessed, including active flexion, lateral external rotation, abduction 90° external rotation, and internal rotation. Three-dimensional CT was performed at 6 months after operation and at last follow-up to observe the absorption of bone graft, the position of bone graft and glenoid, and the healing of bone graft. Results The operation was successfully completed in all patients. The operation time was 85-195 minutes, with an average of 123.0 minutes. The intraoperative blood loss was 20-75 mL, with an average of 26.5 mL. All patients were followed up 13-32 months, with an average of 18.7 months. During the follow-up, there was no serious complication such as shoulder joint infection, joint stiffness, or vascular and nerve injury. One patient had partial absorption of the transplanted bone and bone nonunion at 3 months after operation, but the pain of the shoulder joint relieved at last follow-up, and no redislocation of the shoulder joint occurred; no obvious bone fracture or dislocation of the shoulder joint was found in the other patients. Bone union was achieved at 6 months during follow-up. At last follow-up, the VAS score, Rowe score, Walch-Duplay score, and ASES score significantly improved when compared with those before operation (P<0.05), while the ROM of active flexion, lateral external rotation, abduction 90° external rotation, and internal rotation of the shoulder joint was not significantly different from those before operation (P>0.05).ConclusionSuture button fixation Latarjet procedure under total arthroscopy can improve shoulder joint function in patients with severe anterior shoulder instability caused by bone defects, and imaging also indicates satisfactory placement of transplanted bone blocks.
Objective To investigate the effectiveness of a double-tsuge suture method with absorbable polydioxanone-cord (PDS-II) in repair of Achilles tendon ruptures. Methods Between January 2005 and December 2008, 36 patients suffering from Achilles tendon ruptures were treated operatively. Of 36 patients, there were 29 males and 7 females with a mean age of 36 years (range, 21-50 years), including 22 cases of acute closed injuries, 6 cases of fresh open injuries (the time between injury and hospital ization was 1-10 days, mean 6 days), and 8 cases of old closed injuries (the time between injury and hospital ization was 43-63 days, mean 51 days). The injury reasons were sport injury (25 cases), incisedinjury (6 cases), fall ing injury (4 cases), and other (1 case). The results of “heel test” and the Thompson sign were positive in all patients. Operation was performed by using a double-tsuge suture method with a No. 0 PDS-II. After the ankle joint was fixed with short leg plaster cast at 30° plantar flexion position for 6 weeks, the cast was removed and then functional exercises were done. Results Poor heal ing of incision occurred in 2 cases of old Achilles tendon ruptures and was cured after symptomatic treatment; heal ing of incision by first intention was achieved in the others. The patients were followed up 12 to 24 months (mean, 15 months). No rerupture, deep venous thromboembol ism, or reflex sympathetic dystrophy occurred during follow-up. When compared with the range of motion of ankle joint of normal side, 7 cases had no change, 16 cases had a loss of 1-10°, 12 cases had a loss of 10-20°, and 1 case had a loss of 25°. The average score was 90 (range, 74-96) according to Termann cl inical evaluation criterion; the results were excellent in 24 cases, good in 11 cases, and fair in 1 case, and the excellent and good rate was 97.2%. Conclusion The double-tsuge suture method is easy-to-operate, which has the smallest interference to the blood supply of Achilles tendon because of no crossing or transversal intratendon suture. PDSII can provide highly b stabil ity, furthermore, it can be degenerated completely with tiny foreign body reaction, so there is no tendency to develope local adhesion. This technique achieves good results and is associated with a low morbidity of compl ications.
ObjectiveTo compare the outcomes of sutureless technique and conventional technique in the surgical repair for infracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC).MethodsThe clinical data of 46 consecutive patients with infracardiac TAPVC undergoing surgical repair in our hospital between June 2014 and April 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with combined congenital cardiac anomalies such as single ventricle and tetralogy of Fallot were excluded. Patients were divided into a conventional technique group and a sutureless technique group according to the surgical techniques. There were 35 patients in the conventional technique group, including 28 males (80.0%) and 7 females (20.0%) with a median age of 21 (8, 42) d and a median weight of 3.6 (3.0, 4.0) kg. There were 11 patients in the sutureless technique group, including 8 males (72.7%) and 3 females (27.3%) with a median age of 14 (6, 22) d and a median weight of 3.5 (2.9, 3.6) kg. The curative effect of the two groups was compared.ResultsThere were 5 deaths (10.9%) in the conventional technique group, including 4 in-hospital deaths (8.7%) and 1 late death (2.2%). Overall mortality of the conventional technique group (14.3%, 5/35) was higher than that of the sutureless technique group (0.0%, 0/11), although the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.317). Cox regression analysis showed that sex (P=0.042), age at repair (P=0.028), cardiopulmonary bypass time (P=0.007), aortic cross-clamping time (P=0.018) and duration of ventilation (P=0.042) were risk factors for postoperative mortality. The median follow-up was 18.00 (5.00, 37.75) months. Postoperative pulmonary venous obstruction occurred in 22 patients of the conventional technique group, which was significantly more than that of the sutureless technique group (P=0.000).ConclusionFor infracardiac TAPVC, sutureless technique can reduce the incidence of postoperative pulmonary venous obstruction compared with conventional technique.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the continuous half-thickness suture outside of the pectinate muscles in the right atrium incision in adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery. MethodsA total of 1 040 consecutive adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery by the right atrium incision with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were randomly divided into a control group (n=518 with 236 males and 282 females at mean age of 44.55 years) and a trial group (n=522 with 242 males and 280 females at mean age 45.75 years) between January 2010 and June 2014. The right atrium incision was sutured by continuous full-thickness suture in the control group and sutured by continuous half-thickness suture in the trial group. After the suture, the bleeding in the right atrium incision was recorded. ResultsAll patients underwent the open-heart operation. Seven patients died of postoperative low cardiac syndrome including four patients in the control group and 3 patients in the trial group. The heart incision was inspected before suturing the pericardium. A total of 203 patients of local active bleeding were stitched again in the right atrium incision in the control group. Only 26 patients were stitched again in the trial group (P<0.001). In the cases of re-exploration for bleeding or tamponade after cardiac operation, 3 patients of bleeding due to the right atrium incision were confirmed in the control group, and no one was confirmed in the trial group. ConclusionThe continuous half-thickness suture in the right atrium incision can prevent the incision bleeding, and avoid locally stitching again in adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
ObjectiveTo introduce a modified sutureless technique and its surgical results in the treatment of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC).MethodsClinical data of 11 patients with TAPVC who underwent the modified sutureless technique treatment from 2014 to 2019 in our center were retrospectively analyzed, including 4 males and 7 females. The median surgical age was 1.4 (0.3, 27.0) months. The median weight was 4.3 (3.5, 8.5) kg.Six (54.5%) patients were of supracardiac subtype, and five (45.5%) patients were of infracardiac subtype. Five (45.5%) patients had preoperative severe pulmonary hypertension, and three (27.3%) patients had preoperative pulmonary vein obstruction. The surgical results were compared with those of 10 patients treated with conventional surgical technique.ResultsThe median follow-up was 12 (range, 1-65) months. During the follow-up, no death or postoperative pulmonary vein obstruction occurred in the modified sutureless technique group. The perioperative data and relief of re-obstruction were superior in the modified sutureless technique group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The postoperative survival of the the modified sutureless technique group was better than that of the traditional surgery group (P=0.049).ConclusionThe modified sutureless technique which includes partial suture and then incising, and eversion of pulmonary vein incision, is a safe and reliable method for the treatment of TAPVC with satisfactory short-term results.
Objective To explore the research progress of the coracoid transfer surgery using suture button fixation, particularly focusing on the technique known as Chinese unique Inlay Bristow (Cuistow surgery).MethodsExtensive literature review was conducted to summarize and analyze the utilization of suture button fixation in the Cuistow surgery, comparing its biomechanical and clinical outcomes with those of traditional screw fixation.Results Utilizing suture button fixation in coracoid transfer surgery helps circumvent certain metal-related complications associated with traditional screw fixation. While its biomechanical stability and effectiveness have been preliminarily confirmed, debates persist regarding its graft healing rate and postoperative recurrence rate compared to traditional screw fixation. The Cuistow surgery based on the Inlay structure is a solution to improve the healing rate of graft after suture button fixation. Conclusion Suture button fixation, as a novel approach in coracoid transfer surgery, remains to have its advantages and disadvantages compared to traditional screw fixation not entirely elucidated, underscoring the need for further in-depth clinical and fundamental research. Cuistow surgery is the Chinese experience of coracoid transfer surgery, and its biomechanical stability and clinical advantages have been preliminarily confirmed.