ObjectiveTo evaluate mid-term effectiveness of manipulation under anesthesia combined with arthroscopic capsular release and subacromial debridement for primary frozen shoulder.MethodsBetween January 2013 and December 2017, 33 patients of primary frozen shoulder were treated with manipulation under anesthesia combined with 360° arthroscopic capsular release and subacromial debridement. There were 10 males and 23 females, aged from 37 to 65 years, with a mean age of 50.9 years. The affected shoulder on left side in 17 cases and on right side in 16 cases. The disease duration was 6-13 months (mean, 8.4 months). Before and after operation, the visual analogue scale (VAS) score was used to evaluate the shoulder joint pain, Constant score was used to evaluate the shoulder joint function, and the flexion, abduction, and external rotation of shoulder joint were recorded. The internal rotation function was assessed based on the vertebral plane that the thumb could reach after internal rotation of the affected shoulder joint (the rank of internal rotation vertebra). X-ray film was taken to measure the distance of the subacromial space.ResultsThere was no fracture or labrum tear in all patients, and all the incisions healed by first intention. All the 33 patients were followed up 20-31 months, with an average of 24.1 months. During the follow-up, there was no complication such as wound infection and nerve injury. At last follow-up, the range of motion of shoulder flexion, abduction, and external rotation, the rank of internal rotation vertebra, the VAS score, Constant score, and subacromial space were significantly improved when compared with preoperative ones (P<0.05).ConclusionManipulation under anesthesia combined with arthroscopic capsular release and subacromial debridement can achieve a good mid-term effectiveness without complication for primary frozen shoulder.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effectiveness of arthroscopic 360° capsular release for frozen shoulder.MethodsBetween April 2018 and April 2019, 42 patients with frozen shoulders were treated with arthroscopic 360° capsular release. There were 13 males and 29 females, with an average age of 52.3 years (range, 45-56 years). There were 14 left shoulders and 28 right shoulders. The disease duration ranged from 5 to 18 months (mean, 11.1 months). The main clinical symptoms were limited active and passive movement of the shoulder joint with severe pain. All patients excluded impingement syndrome and shoulder osteoarthritis. Preoperative range of motion was as follows: forward flexion (93.2±15.4)°, external rotation at side (15.9±6.0)°, external rotation at 90° abduction (18.4±9.9)°, and internal rotation reaching the greater trochanter in 5 cases, buttocks in 20 cases, S1 level in 17 cases. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score was 6.7±1.7 and the American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (ASES) score was 41.6±9.3. The active range of motion of shoulder joint, VAS score, and ASES score were recorded during follow-up.ResultsAll incisions healed by first intention, and no early complications occurred. Patients were followed up 12-24 months (mean, 15.6 months). After operation, forward flexion, external rotation at side, and external rotation at 90° abduction significantly improved when compared with preoperatively (P<0.05). The range of internal rotation restored to the level of T6-12 at 3 weeks, which was equivalent to that of the normal side at 12 months after operation (Z=–0.943, P=0.346). VAS scores decreased and ASES scores increased after operation, and the differences between pre- and post-operation were significant (P<0.05); and with time, the VAS scores and ASES scores improved further (P<0.05).ConclusionArthroscopic 360° capsular release can significantly increase the range of motion of the shoulder joint, release pain, and improve function. It is an effective method for the treatment of frozen shoulders.
ObjectiveTo compare the mid-term effectiveness of arthroscopic shoulder capsular release combined with acromiohumeral distance (AHD) restoration in the treatment of diabetic secondary stiff shoulder and primary frozen shoulder. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of 22 patients with diabetic secondary stiff shoulder (group A) and 33 patients with primary frozen shoulder (group B), who underwent arthroscopic 270° capsular release combined with AHD restoration treatment. There was no significant difference between the two groups in gender, age, affected side, disease duration, and preoperative AHD, shoulder flexion range of motion, abduction range of motion, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and Constant score (P>0.05). Only the difference in the internal rotation cone rank and external rotation range of motion between the two groups showed significant differences (P<0.05). The improvement in shoulder pain and function was evaluated by using VAS score, ASES score, and Constant score before operation and at last follow-up. Active flexion, abduction, external rotation range of motion, and internal rotation cone rank were recorded and compared. AHD was measured on X-ray films.Results All patients were followed up 24-92 months (median, 57 months). There was no significant difference in follow-up time between group A and group B (P>0.05). No fractures or glenoid labrum tears occurred during operation, all incisions healed by first intention, and no complication such as wound infection or nerve injury was observed during the follow-up. At last follow-up, there were significant improvements in active flexion, abduction, external rotation range of motion, internal rotation cone rank, AHD, VAS score, ASES score, and Constant score when compared with preoperative ones in both groups (P<0.05). Except for the difference in change in external rotation range of motion, which had significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05), there was no significant difference in other indicators between the two groups (P>0.05). ConclusionArthroscopic capsular release combined with AHD restoration can achieve good mid-term effectiveness in the treatment of diabetic secondary stiff shoulder and primary frozen shoulder. However, the improvement in external rotation range of motion is more significant in the patients with diabetic secondary stiff shoulder.