Shoulder and Elbow
Arthroscopy
Indications and Limits
Manos Antonogiannakis
Director
Shoulder Arthroscopy first
Where we are where we are
heading for?
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History
• 1931 First Cadaver Shoulder Arthroscopy Burman
• 1974 First Shoulder Arthroscopy in vivo Johnson LL
• 1982 First Arthroscopic repair Johnson LL
of Shoulder Instability
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Diagnostic arthroscopy
The way everything began
back in the 80ies !!
Arthroscopy in its infancy
Diagnostic Arthroscopy
• Distinguish Normal Anatomy
• Anatomic Variants
• Variation of GHLs
• Sublaral Hole
• Cord-like middle GHL
• Buford Complex
• Rotator Crescent Sign (cuff “ridge”)
• SLAP lesions
• Bursal side RC tears
• Internal Impingement
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Glenohumeral Ligament
Variations
66% - Well defined SGHL, MGHL & IGHL
7% - Confluent MGHL & IGHL
19% - Cordlike MGHL with a high riding
attachment
8% - No discernable MGHL – IGHL but one
confluent anterior capsular sheath
Diagnostic Tool
• Bufford Complex
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Diagnostic Tool
• Sublabral hole
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Diagnostic Tool
• SLAP Lesions
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Diagnostic Tool
• Internal Impingement
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Shoulder Arthroscopy
the evolution of the technique
Diagnostic
Tool
Final
Treatment
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From tool of the devil the treatment of choice of most shoulder
pathologies
Therapeutic Arthroscopy
• Rotator Cuff disease
• Tears (Full, Partial, Intratendinous)
• Calcifying Tendonitis
• Instability
• Anterior, Posterior, Multidirectional
• Bony Bankart lesions
• Glenoid defects
• HAGL and reverse HAGL lesions
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Therapeutic Arthroscopy
• SLAP lesions
• Frozen Shoulder
• AC joint
• Arthritis
• Dislocation
• Biceps Pathology
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Arthroscopic Evolution
Metal Anchors
Absorbable
Anchors
Peek Anchors
Single suture
Double sutures
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Cuff repair
Tendon to bone repair
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Rotator Cuff
Single Row
Double Row
Triple Row
Different
Suture
Passing
techniques
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RC Arthroscopic Repair
1. Recognition, of the type of the tear
2. Retraction and releases
3. Repair Options:
Anchors: metallic or absorbable
Type of stitch: Mason-Allen,
Mc Stitch,
Mattress sutures,
Horizontal mattress,
Simple sutures
Restoration of footprint: Double row or
Single row www.shoulder.gr
Risk to Benefit Ratio
• Rot cuff tears DO NOT heal spontaneously
• Tear repairability
• Think of Size, Elasticity and Chronicity
• Fatty infiltration is not fully reversible
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Operative Treatment
Act aggressive and early
Act early try to avoid irreversible
bad tissue quality.
What is Bad Tissue Quality?
• Large or massive tears,
• Retracted tears,
• Coutallier three or four fatty infiltration
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ANY TYPE OF RECONSTRUCTION
MUST AVOID TENSION OVER-LOAD
OF THE REPAIR
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Recognize the Tear Pattern
Tears must be repaired in the direction
of greatest mobility -> minimal strain
L-Shaped & U-Shaped Tears
• Side to side sutures from medial to lateral
• Progressively converge the margin of the
tear lateral to bone bed
• Closing 50% of a U-Shaped tear ->
reduces strain at converge margin by a
factor of 6
[Burkhart S]
Side to Side Repair
Cuff repair
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Double Row Fixation
Restoration of the footprint
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1st
Anchor Insertion – Medial Row
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Lateral Row 1st
Anchor Insertion
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Inspection of Suture Position
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Final Repair
Double row fixationDouble row fixation
Stronger repair biologically
attractive but
Time consuming and of
raised difficulty www.shoulder.gr
Massive Contracted Immobile
Tears
• No mobility from medial to lateral or from
anterior to posterior
• Subcategories:
– Massive Contracted Longitudinal Tears
– Massive Contracted Crescent Tears
• Represent 9.6% of massive tears
[Burkhart]
Massive Contractive Tears
better mobilization techniques
• Anterior Interval Slide
and/or
• Posterior Interval Slide
Massive Tears
• Easily repaired
• Difficult repair (anterior & posterior Slide)
• Medialized repair
• Impossible repair
• Incomplete Repair
• Graft Jackets
• Tendon transfers
Rotator Cuff
• Rot cuff tears that can be repaired with
open techniques can be repaired with
arthroscopic techniques also
• Irreparable Tears:
• Partial repair
• Medialized repair
• Grafts and substitutes
• Tendon transfers
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Rotator Cuff
Massive Tears
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Rotator Cuff
Massive Tears
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Rotator Cuff
Subscapularis Tear
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Rotator Cuff
Subscapularis
Tear
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Rotator Cuff
Calcifying Tendonitis
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Rotator Cuff
Calcifying Tendonitis
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Frozen Shoulder
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AC Joint
Distal Clavicle Excision
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AC Joint
• Dislocation
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Shoulder Instability
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The Spectrum of Instability Lesions
– Minor instability with
activity related pain
– Recurrent subluxation
– Recurrent dislocation
– Locked dislocation with
loss of motion
Bankart Lesion
Bankart Lesion
the essential lesion
 Avulsion of the IGHL from the glenoid rim
from 2 o’clock to 6 o’clock
 Primary restraint to anterior translation
at 90o
of abduction
 85% in traumatic anterior dislocations
 Not enough to induce symptomatic instability
ALPSA lesion
humerus
Bankart lesion
glenoid
1. Identify and Define Pathology
Our findings in first shoulder
dislocation
• Hemarthrosis 100%
• Bankart 78.2%
• Bony Bankart 13.04%
• Hill-Sachs 65.21%
• capsular laxity 8.69%
• SLAP lesions 21.73%
C. Yiannakopulos E Mataragas E.Antonogiannakis
Arthroscopy Sep 2007
Arthroscopic Shoulder
Reconstruction
Goal of the Operation: Define the pathology
Restoration of the Labrum to its anatomic attachment
Reestablishment of the appropriate tension
in the IGHL complex and capsule
Repair bony Bankart and large Hill-Sachs lesions
Repair SLAP lesions
Repair rot cuff tears
 Patients of all ages and all activity levels with
recurrent anterior instability who are impaired
functionally and in whom nonoperative treatment
has failed
 Revision stabilization
 First-time, acute shoulder dislocations
Arthroscopic Shoulder Stabilization
Patient Selection
Instability
Anterior Instability – Bankart Lesion
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humerus
labrum
completed repair
6. Assessment of the Final Repair
SLAP repair
Instability
Posterior Instability
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Instability
• Posterior Instability
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Posterior capsule reefing
Posterior Instability
Posterior Instability
Instability
• Multidirectional
Instability
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Multidirection instability
Plication of the posterior capsule
Instability
Anterior Instability. Bony defects – Hill
Sachs
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Instability
Anterior Instability –Hill Sachs -Remplisage
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Instability
Anterior Instability – Hill Sachs -Remplisage
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Instability
Anterior Instability. Bony defects
Glenoid bone loss
Normal Glenoid
inverted
pear
Bony Bankart
pear
Compression
Bankart
loss of
anterior rim
The normal glenoid shape
Inverted pear glenoid
 Glenoid Bone Loss > 30%
 Engaging Hill-Sachs
 HAGL lesions
Limitations of the
Arthroscopic Techniques
Future of instability repair
• HAGL lesions can be repaired with
arthroscopic techniques
• Engaging Hill-Sachs. The remplisage
technique of Eugene Wolf
Future of instability repair
Glenoid bone loss:
• arthroscopic bone grafting described
by E. Taverna
• Arthroscopic coracoid transfer
described by L. Laffosse
Arthroscopic success rate
• Savoie 1997 93%
• Burchart, De Bear 2000 96%
• J Tauro 2000 93%
• Kim 2003 96%
• Snyder 2006 93%
• Fabbriciani 2004 100%
Trends in arthroscopic surgery
•Mechanically stronger repair
techniques
•Arthroscopic techniques for tendon
substitutes
•Better tendon mobilization
techniques
• Arthroscopic repair of Bone
defects in instability surgery
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Conclusion
Today, apart from Shoulder Replacement
and major Shoulder Fractures,
nearly all Shoulder Pathology
can be treated
With arthroscopic techniques
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Conclusion
Literature suggests equal or better
results than Open Surgery
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Conclusion
Combined with
Lower Morbidity
Day Case surgery
Smalls Incisions
No Deltoid injury
Earlier Mobilization
Less Pain
Earlier Return to Daily Activities
Better Understanding of Shoulder Pathology
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Elbow arthroscopy
• 1931 Burman concluded the elbow joint is
not suitable for arthroscopic examination
• Confind space, complex articulation,
proximity of major neurovascular
structures
• Today an accepted technique to treat
intraarticular pathology with expanding
indications
Elbow clinical examination-medial
compartment
• Valgus instability check with the elbow in 30o of
flexion and the arm in full supination-possible
ulnakr collateral injury
• Palpate medial epicondyle and and proximal
flexor pronator mass
• Test resisted wrist flexion and elbow pronation
and
• Palpate the ulnar nerve and check for Tinel sign
• Flex and extend the elbow as the nerve is
palpated to detect nerve subluxation
Elbow examination posterior
compartment
• Check for pain in the posterolateral and
posteromedial side of the olecranon
• Stabilize the arm and extend the elbow
forcefully to check for compression of the
olecranon in its fossa
Elbow clinical examination –lateral
compartment
• Palpate the lateral epicondyle
• Pain in resisted elbow supination and wrist
extension for lateral epicondylatis
• Palpate the radiocapitellar joint while
pronating and supinating the hand to
check for crepitus and pain
Elbow Arthroscopy -
Contraindications
• Bony Ankylosis
• Coagulopathy
• History of nerve transposition or
muscle/tendon transfer
Elbow Arthroscopy –
Patient Positioning
• Prone
• Supine
• Lateral decubitus
Positioning
Topographic anatomy
Capsular volume may be as little as
6 mL in elbows with capsular contracture
Prone Elbow Arthroscopy
Advantages
• Best access to
posterior portal
• No arm support
necessary
Disadvantages
• More difficult
anesthesia
• Difficult to convert
to open
• Image reversal
Lateral decubitus elbow
arthroscopy
• Same advandages with the prone position
• It does not compromise the airway
Prone Elbow Arthroscopy
Supine Elbow Arthroscopy
Advantages
• Best anterior access
• Easier anesthesia
• Easy conversion to
open
• Familiar arm support
(shoulder holder)
Disadvantages
• Difficult posterior
access and
orientation
• Posterior scope-under
fogging
Supine Elbow Arthroscopy
Supine Elbow Arthroscopy
Elbow Arthroscopy – Portals
• Anterior
–Proximal Medial
(superomedial)
–Anteromedial
–Anterolateral
–Midlateral
–Proximal lateral
• Posterior
–Soft Spot (direct
lateral)
–Posterolateral
–Trans-Triceps
Tendon (straight
posterior)
Location of medial and lateral portals with respect
to key neurovascular structures
Anteromedial Portal
•2 cm. distal and 2 cm. anterior to the medial
epicondyle in line with the joint
•Passes through common flexor origin
(2 cm. distal, 2 cm anterior - Lynch, Whipple,
Meyers)
Anteromedial Portal
Best Visualization for:
• Radiocapitellar Joint
• Coronoid Fossa
• Trochlea
• Anterior Capsule
Anteromedial Portal
At Risk
• Median (19mm distended, 12mm non-
distended)
– sheath lies in contact with nerve in 56% of
extended elbows
• Brachial Artery
Anteromedial View
Proximal Medial Portal
• Usually start medially
• 2-3 cm. Proximal to the Medial Humeral
epicondyle
• Just Anterior to the Medial Intermuscular
Septum
Proximal Medial Portal
Proximal Medial Portal
At Risk
• Ulnar Nerve
• MABC Nerve
• Median
• Brachial Artery
Proximal Medial Portal
Best Visualization for:
• Radiocapitellar joint
• Coronoid
• Trochlea
• Radio-ulnar joint
• Anterior capsule
Anterolateral Portal
2 cm. anterior and 2 cm. distal to
the lateral epicondyle
Passes through ECRB and
Supinator posterolateral to radial
nerve (3cm distal and 2cm anterior
Andrews and Carson)
Anterolateral Portal
Best Visualization for:
• Coronoid
• Trochlea
• Radioulnar articulation
• Anterior Capsule
Anterolateral Portal
At Risk
• Radial Nerve (as close as 3 mm)
• PIN (1 to 13 mm increasing with
pronation)
• Posterior Antebrachial Cutaneous Nerve
(2mm)
• Out of favor due to proximity of the radial
nerve
Midlateral and proximal
anterolateral portal
• Miblateral 2 cm direct anterior to the
epicondyle
• Proximal anterolateral 2 cm proximal and
1 cm anterior to the epicondyle
• Both provide good visualazation of the
anterior ulnohumeral and radiocapitellar
joint but the proximal anterolateral portal is
safer
Soft Spot Portal
Center of triangle formed by the radial head, lateral epicondyle,
and olecranon
Passes through anconeus and triceps
Posterior Antebrachial Cutaneous Nerve (7 mm average)
Soft Spot Portal
Best Visualization
• Posterior Surface of Radial Head
• Posterior Capitellum
• Radial Surface of Olecranon
Soft Spot Portal
Trochlea (above)
Radial Head (left)
Olecranon Bare Spot
Tip of Olecranon (right)
Posterolateral Portal
Best Visualization for:
• Olecranon Process
• Olecranon Fossa
• Posterior Ulnar Gutter
Posterolateral Portal
Radiocapitellar
Articulation
Elbow Arthroscopy - Indications
• Loose Bodies removal
• DJD - Debridement and Osteophyte Removal
• Capsular Contracture
• OCD
• Synovectomy
• Radial head excision
• Olecranon Bursectomy (Kerr)
• Septic Arthritis
• Internal Fixation
• Lateral Epicondyle Release
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Low
Advanced
Most experienced only
Diagnostic arthroscopy
Loose body
removal Plicae
excision
Debridement of OCD
• Synovectomy
• Capsulotomy
• Radial head excision
• Lateral epicondylitis
release
• Capsulectomy
• Osteocapsular arthroplasty
• Fracture fixation
Level of Experience
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1. Synovectomy
Synovectomy and removal of any soft tissue
that may block motion due to its bulk,
such as scar tissue in the
Removal of loose bodies and osteophytes
3. Radial Head Excision
5. Excision of Spurs
Elbow Arthroscopy –
Advantages
• Excellent Visualization
• Smaller Scars
• Rapid Return To Function
Elbow Arthroscopy - Disadvantages
Technique Depended
Relatively few cases
Steep learning curve
Conclusions
• Elbow arthroscopy is a difficult procedure
with a steep learning curve
• As experience is gained indications are
expanding
• Start with easier procedures and stay in
the safe side
Shoulder and elbow

Shoulder and elbow