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Rotator cuff (RC) tears comprise a broad spectrum of lesions ranging from partial to full thickness tears of a single tendon and massive cuff tears. Both glenohumeral trauma as well as degenerative processes can result in tearing of the RC. Treatment therefore requires a meticulous diagnosis as well as a differentiated approach by careful consideration of morphological and patient-specific factors. The pathogenesis, tear morphology, clinical symptoms and functional demands of the patient determine the therapeutic approach. Despite pathological and individual patient-related factors, early surgical repair is generally recommended for traumatic RC tears in young patients and in patients with high functional demands due to the high risk of tear progression. The results of RC repair are negatively correlated with the size of the lesion, the number of tendons involved, the degree of tendon retraction, muscular alteration and patient age. This article provides an overview of the various pathogenesis, indications and surgical repair of RC tears with respect to modern pathology-specific reconstructive procedures.

Tendon pathologies are a frequent cause of shoulder pain and can lead to significant decline in the quality of life. Conservative treatment is suitable for most tendon pathologies. In addition to classical conservative treatment options, such as physiotherapy, oral analgesia and infiltrations, there are a number of additive treatment options to promote structural tendon healing and clinical outcome. Furthermore, there are approaches to improve the results of the surgical treatment of tendon injuries by biological augmentation. The objective of this article is to give an overview of biological and regenerative therapeutic options in the treatment of tendon injuries of the shoulder. Therefore, the anatomical and molecular biological principles of the tendon structure and their importance for tendon healing are explained in order to highlight the various therapeutic options for daily practice. Biological augmentation procedures and regenerative medicine represent a promising therapeutic option for tendon injuries of the shoulder, however, the benefits are so far supported by little or no evidence at all.

Arthroscopic soft tissue stabilization is a well-established and broadly accepted procedure to treat posttraumatic shoulder instability. Advantages in comparison to open stabilization procedures include improved visualization of the structural damage and a less invasive approach. Technical developments in recent years have led to further improvement of the arthroscopic technique for shoulder instability. This article presents a description of principles and new developments as it contains basic techniques including patient positioning, access portals, preparation of the glenoid bone, soft tissue handling and shuttle techniques. Modern suture anchor systems to achieve arthroscopic stabilization with the corresponding advantages and disadvantages are also presented. Furthermore, the limitations and long-term results of arthroscopic soft tissue stabilization are discussed.

Triceps tendon rupture is a rare injury. While partial tendon ruptures can be treated non-operatively, complete ruptures are an indication for surgical treatment in order to restore strength and a full range of motion. Although many different methods have been published, there is no consensus on the optimal surgical technique.We report the case of a patient who suffered from a complete triceps rupture after a fall. The injury was treated by open reduction and refixation of the tendon using the double-row technique. The following article describes the technique and highlights its advantages and disadvantages in comparison to other procedures.

Acute posterior dislocation of the sternoclavicular (SC) joint is rare but can lead to life-threatening vascular injuries of the mediastinum; however, diagnosis is difficult and the injury can be initially overlooked so that surgical treatment is delayed. Although a variety of different treatment modalities have been published, the ideal fixation technique has not yet been identified. We report the case of a patient suffering from a locked posterior SC joint dislocation caused by a skiing accident. The injury was treated by transarticular endobutton fixation. This article describes the technique and highlights its advantages and disadvantages in comparison to previously published treatment options.

Following locking plate osteosynthesis of a proximal humeral fracture, a 62-year-old male patient suffered mild secondary dislocation. Subsequent bone densitometry identified an osteoporosis. Laboratory testing and sonography revealed an underlying primary hyperparathyroidism. In the short term, the patient suffered a similar proximal humeral fracture of the contralateral side. Given the knowledge about the underlying osteoporosis a cement-augmented locking plate osteosynthesis was carried out to treat the fracture. Parathyroidectomy was performed shortly thereafter and laboratory parameters returned to normal. Secondary fractures did not arise. Treatment of this patient in a certified osteoporosis center with a multimodal management led to systematic interdisciplinary diagnostics, a specific surgical therapy and ended in an excellent result.

Background: A variety of surgical procedure are desrcibed for the treatment of acute acromioclavicular (AC-) joint injuries. Beside open techniques arthroscopic assisted procedures spread widely. Each surgical technique offers advantages and disadvantages, but none is currently accepted as a gold standard. Therefore, the study aims to review the evidence for arthroscopic and open surgical procedures in the treatment of acute AC joint instabilities., Material and Methods: According to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions we conducted a defined search of Medline and Embase database for articles publisher over the last ten years., Results: The search resulted in 961 studies of which 32 were included in this review and 3 studies were suitable for a meta-analysis. The functional outcome (Constant score) showed a tendency towards better results after arthroscopic procedures (weighted mean difference 5.60, 95% confidence interval 0.36-10.64). There were no significant differences with respect to complication rates, secondary dislocation in the vertical plane, revision surgery and AC joint instability., Conclusion: There is insufficient evidence to inform the surgical management of acute AC joint instability. Due to inconsistent study designs there is no evidence for a general superiority of any of the open or arthroscopic procedures. Randomized, controlled studies are necessary to demonstrate whether arthroscopic techniques show a potential benefit in terms of a better functional outcome.

Background: Fractures of the distal third of the clavicle represent 10-30% of all clavicle fractures . Frequently, these fractures result in instability due to a combination of bony and ligamentous injury. Thus, assessment of the stability is essential for adequate treatment of these fractures., Aim: This article presents a review of the different classification systems for distal clavicle fractures with respect to anatomical and functional factors to allow for comprehensive assessment of stability. Furthermore, the different treatment options for each fracture type are analyzed., Results and Discussion: Fractures to the distal third of the clavicle without instability can be treated conservatively with satisfactory outcome. In contrast, instability may result in symptomatic non-union under conservative treatment; therefore, distal clavicle fractures with instability should be treated operatively with respect to the functional demands of the patient. Operative treatment with locked plating in combination with coracoclavicular fixation results in excellent functional results. Arthroscopically assisted fracture fixation may be beneficial in terms of a minimally invasive approach as well as assessment and treatment of associated glenohumeral lesions.

Background: The acromioclavicular (AC) joint connects the acromion with the lateral end of the clavicle and constitutes an important load-transmitting element between the upper extremity and the skeleton of the trunk., Aim: This review discusses functional aspects that relate the AC and the coracoclavicular (CC) ligaments to AC joint instability and lateral clavicle fracture., Results: In terms of stability the AC and CC ligaments play a pivotal role for this region. Under normal conditions the restraint system is balanced and becomes unbalanced in cases of injury such as AC joint instability or lateral clavicular fractures. Skeletal injuries frequently affect the ligaments with their usually sharp-angled insertion sites, which alters the function of the restraint system. As a consequence these injuries lead to multidirectional dislocating forces acting on the scapula in relationship to the lateral end of the clavicle. Previously, special attention was given to the vertical dislocation of the lateral clavicle, whereas less attention was paid to other factors which could lead to dislocation in other directions. Therefore, in this review emphasis is placed on the anatomical principles of multidirectional dislocation of the AC joint the fractured lateral clavicle., Conclusion: Current clinical classification schemes fail to sufficiently include these multidirectional dislocating forces; however, they have to be considered when choosing the appropriate treatment modality. Thus, understanding the anatomical and functional context of the AC/CC region is essential for a sound management of AC joint injuries and fractures of the distal clavicle.

Background: A 55-year-old male patient sustained a dislocation of the acromioclavicular (AC) joint in combination with a distal clavicle fracture., Methods: Following closed reduction of the fractured clavicle, arthroscopically assisted coracoclavicular fixation was performed., Discussion and Conclusion: A combined injury of a complete ac joint dislocation and a distal clavicle fracture is rare and is not included in currently available classification systems; therefore, in this article a classification and assessment of the stability of this injury as well as appropriate treatment options are discussed.

The treatment of comminuted three and four part fractures of the proximal humerus in elderly patients with degenerative rotator cuff tears is challenging. Primary reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) is an alternative; however, functional outcome is still unclear due to a lack of study results. The aim of this study was to examine the functional results of RSA and to compare them with the results after reconstruction and locking plate osteosynthesis 1 year after surgery.In this study 24 patients (mean age: 77.9±9.1 years) underwent RSA as primary treatment for three and four part fractures of the proximal humerus with either head split or rotator cuff tears >Bateman type II. The results obtained at 3, 6 and 12 months follow-up included shoulder range of motion (ROM), Constant score, age-adjusted and gender-adjusted Constant score and as a percentage when compared to the uninjured side. Data were compared to patients of matching age, gender and fracture pattern from a prospectively collected database of 526 patients treated by locking plate osteosynthesis.The mean shoulder ROM 1 year after surgery was 105±29° flexion, 99±31° abduction, 22±23° external rotation and 65±26° internal rotation. In 6 patients flexion-abduction was >130°. The mean Constant score (CS) 1 year postoperatively was 62.4±14, age and gender normalized CS was 79.2±20.5, CS compared to the uninjured side was 76.1% and there were no significant differences to matched individuals treated by open reduction and internal fixation using locking plates (p=0.360). There were no infections, dislocations, vascular or neural disorders and surgical revision was not necessary in any patient. RSA should be considered as an appropriate alternative for the primary treatment of comminuted three and four part fractures of the proximal humerus with head split or large rotator cuff tears in elderly patients. Although RSA can provide immediate shoulder stability for elderly patients with severe shoulder injuries, primary RSA needs investigation with regards to long-term outcome.

Introduction: The physical examination of the knee in cases of suspected meniscal tears serves to increase the probability of a correct diagnosis. Although there is a large variety of functional tests, the quality of each diagnostic test is controversially discussed., Materials and Methods: Through a systematic literature search in Medline and the Cochrane Database two reviewers independently screened publications, evaluated each study for methodological quality and categorized them into levels of evidence (CEBM). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predicted value, as well as positive and negative likelihood ratio (LR+/LR-) values were calculated in order to render the quality threshold of the physical examination in meniscus impairment., Results: The Thessaly test (sensitivity: 91%, specificity: 97%, PPV: 97%, NPV: 91% LR+: 31.1, LR-: 0.1) revealed the highest test quality. Limited quality was shown for the Mc Murray test (sensitivity: 51%, specificity: 78%, PPV: 70%, NPV: 61%, LR+: 2.3, LR-: 0.6), "joint line tenderness" (sensitivity: 64%, specificity: 61%, PPV: 62%, NPV: 63%, LR+: 1.6, LR-: 0.6), the Apley-Grinding test (sensitivity: 38%, specificity: 84%, PPV: 71%, NPV: 58%, LR+: 2.4, LR-: 0.7) and the Ege test (sensitivity: 66%, specificity: 86%, PPV: 83%, NPV: 72%, LR+: 4.7, LR-: 0.4). Evidence for Steinman's test, Bragard's test and the meniscal signs of Böhler or Payr could not be tested., Conclusion: Meniscal injury can be detected by several functional tests. Using the Thessaly test can improve the physical examination by means of probability of the correct diagnosis, but the results are based on a single study. In patients with ambiguous findings in the physical examination or with suspected combined injury, further diagnostic procedures such as magnetic resonance imaging are necessary to confirm the diagnosis. In clinically certain cases the use of additional diagnostic imaging procedures should be avoided as other authors have shown that with few exceptions this has no influence on the therapy.

Autologous transplantation of the central third of the patella tendon with a bone-patellar tendon-bone (BTB) graft is one of the most commonly used techniques for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Frequently chosen alternative sources include semitendinosus and gracilis tendon autografts. The differences of opinion regarding graft sources mainly result from comparison of outcome and complications. Although higher donor site morbidity and postoperative extensor mechanism complications are postulated for bone-patellar tendon-bone grafts, patellar tendon ruptures following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction are rarely reported in the literature. These predominantly occur during the early postoperative period. We present the case of a patellar tendon rupture in a healthy 36-year-old man, who suffered a skiing accident 10 years after uneventful ACL reconstruction with a BTB graft.

Background: The aim of the study was to quantify the occurrence of progressive intracranial bleeding (PIB) and to identify concomitant parameters in patients suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI)., Methods: TBI patients were included if initial and serial cranial computed tomography (CCT) scans were conducted within 24 h after trauma. A progression of > or =25% was considered as PIB. Patients with progression were compared to those with constant bleeding regarding clinical parameters, time lapse and coagulation status., Results: A total of 98 patients with TBI and intracranial hemorrhaging were analyzed. PIB was detected in 45 patients showing significantly more intracerebral bleeding as well as fractures to the skull (p<0.05), compared to patients with constant bleeding. No significant differences between the groups regarding demographic and clinical parameters, time interval between trauma and initial CCT, and coagulation status were found., Conclusions: Early progression of intracranial hemorrhaging occurs in nearly every second TBI patient and is recognized frequently in cerebral contusions and after fractures to the skull. Hence, early repeated CT scanning is indicated in all TBI patients suffering from intracranial bleeding.

The implementation of clinical pathways has a proven positive effect on the diagnostic workup and initiation of therapy in osteoporotic fracture patients. Unlike in most countries, fracture care in Germany is provided by so-called trauma surgeons. Therefore, it is essential to focus on the trauma surgeon for correct diagnostic workup and therapy initiation after a fragility fracture. A questionnaire was mailed to 409 departments of traumatology inquiring about the existence of a standardized clinical pathway for diagnosis and treatment of patients with fragility fractures. One of the central issues of the survey was whether those pathways comply with national guidelines. Only institutions that stated that they followed a clinical pathway were analyzed. 80% of institutions took part in our survey, 35% of which reported following a defined clinical pathway. Diagnostic workup is in concordance with the national guidelines in 30%, and therapy is guideline-based in 51%, with 12% basing both diagnostic workup and therapy on the guidelines. Thus, the vast majority of German traumatology departments do not follow national guidelines regarding osteoporosis diagnostics and therapy in patients with fragility fractures, leading to a great opportunity to improve fragility fracture care by means of both education and interdisciplinary cooperation.