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Subscapularis Release in Shoulder Replacement Determines Structural Muscular Changes

  • Clinical Research
  • Published:
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®

Abstract

Background

Osteotomy of the lesser tuberosity in shoulder arthroplasty allows bony healing of the subscapularis tendon but does not prevent fatty degeneration in its muscle. Occurrence or increase in fatty degeneration may depend on the surgical technique.

Questions/purposes

We (1) assessed fatty degeneration in the subscapularis muscle and its cross-sectional area after a C-block osteotomy of the lesser tuberosity with minimal mobilization of the subscapularis muscle, and (2) determined whether this technique had any adverse effect on function, fatty degeneration, and cross-sectional area of the subscapularis muscle.

Methods

We retrospectively examined 36 patients with shoulder replacements who had C-block osteotomies. Constant-Murley scores and clinical signs of subscapularis insufficiency were recorded. We radiographically assessed prosthetic placement. On CT scans, lesser tuberosity healing, fatty degeneration, and cross-sectional area of the subscapularis muscle were determined. The minimum followup was 13 months (mean, 18 months; range, 13–33 months).

Results

The mean absolute Constant-Murley score was 71.2. Two patients had weakness of the subscapularis muscle without loss of active motion. All tuberosities healed anatomically. A normal glenohumeral relationship was found in all cases. Fatty degeneration was Grade 0 in 44%, Grade 1 in 39%, Grade 2 in 14%, and Grade 3 in 3%. The subscapularis muscular cross-sectional area decreased from 16.7 cm2 preoperatively to 14.5 cm2 postoperatively (13%).

Conclusions

The C-block osteotomy with minimal dissection of the subscapularis is associated with a low incidence of fatty degeneration in the subscapularis muscle after shoulder arthroplasty although the muscular cross-sectional area of the subscapularis decreased.

Level of Evidence

Level IV, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium

    Lieven Franciscus De Wilde MD, PhD, Tineke De Coninck BSc & Francis De Neve MD

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, AZ St Jan AV Brugge-Oostende, Ruddershove 10, 8000, Brugge, Belgium

    Bart M. Berghs MD

Authors
  1. Lieven Franciscus De Wilde MD, PhD
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  2. Tineke De Coninck BSc
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  3. Francis De Neve MD
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  4. Bart M. Berghs MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bart M. Berghs MD.

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Each author certifies that he or she, or a member of their immediate family, has no commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.

Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research neither advocates nor endorses the use of any treatment, drug, or device. Readers are encouraged to always seek additional information, including FDA-approval status, of any drug or device prior to clinical use.

All ICMJE Conflict of Interest Forms for authors and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research editors and board members are on file with the publication and can be viewed on request.

Each author certifies that his or her institution approved the human protocol for this investigation, that all investigations were conducted in conformity with ethical principles of research, and that informed consent for participation in the study was obtained.

This work was performed at Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.

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De Wilde, L.F., De Coninck, T., De Neve, F. et al. Subscapularis Release in Shoulder Replacement Determines Structural Muscular Changes. Clin Orthop Relat Res 470, 2193–2201 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-012-2291-x

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