BACKGROUND: This study was designed to perform conventional ultrasonography, magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) and arthrosonography exams after rotator cuff repair to compare the results of conventional ultrasonography and arthrosonography with those of MRA as the gold standard. METHODS: We prospectively studied 42 consecutive patients (14 males, 28 females; average age, 59.4 years) who received arthroscopic rotator cuff repair due to full-thickness tears of the supraspinatus tendon from 2008 to 2010. The integrity assessment of the repaired rotator cuff was performed 6 months postoperatively using conventional ultrasonography, MRA, and arthrosonography. RESULTS: The diagnostic accuracy of the conventional ultrasonography compared to MRA was 78.6% and the McNemar test results were 0.016 in full-thickness tear and 0.077 in partial-thickness tear. The diagnostic accuracy of arthrosonography compared to MRA was 92.9% and the McNemar test results were 0.998 in full-thickness tear and 0.875 in partial-thickness tear. CONCLUSIONS: It was found that the integrity assessment of the repaired rotator cuff by ultrasonography must be guarded against and that arthrosonography is an effective alternative method in the postoperative integrity assessment. Also, an arthrosonography seems to be a suitable modality to replace the conventional ultrasonography.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arthrography ; Arthroscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rotator Cuff/injuries/physiopathology/surgery/*ultrasonography ; Shoulder Joint/physiopathology/surgery/*ultrasonography ; Tendon Injuries/diagnosis/physiopathology/surgery/*ultrasonography ; Wound Healing

OBJECTIVETo observe the anesthetic efficacy and safety of bilateral ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block in patients undergoing arthrolysis for shoulder periarthritis.

METHODSTwenty-seven patients (ASA class I-II) undergoing bilateral shoulder joint release surgery and 24 ml received bilateral ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block anesthesia with 0.4% ropivacaine and 0.8% lidocaine. The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for shoulder joint pain were recorded before and after anesthesia. The efficacy of axillary nerve, dorsal scapular nerve and suprascapular nerve block was evaluated, and the anesthetic effect and complications was assessed during surgery. Before and after anesthesia, the range of left and right diaphragmatic muscle movement was measured when the patient took a quiet breath and a deep breath.

RESULTSThe patients showed no significant variations in MAP, HR, or SpO₂after anesthesia. The VAS scores of shoulder joint pain during anteflexion, abduction, posterior extension, rotation, posterior extension and medial rotation were significantly lowered after anesthesia (P<0.05), but the left and the right diaphragm movement range showed no significant difference between quiet breath and deep breath (P>0.05). The rates of complete block of the axillary nerve and dorsal scapular nerve was 100%, and that of suprascapular nerve was 92.6%. Partial phrenic nerve block occurred in 1 case with mild local anesthetic toxicity in another.

CONCLUSIONSBilateral ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block in patients has excellent analgesic effect in should joint release surgery with good safely.

Amides ; Anesthetics, Local ; Brachial Plexus Block ; Diaphragm ; Humans ; Lidocaine ; Orthopedic Procedures ; Pain Measurement ; Periarthritis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Shoulder Joint ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Ultrasonography