Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R P Nirschl.
The histology of pathologic tennis elbow tissue reveals noninflammatory tissue, thus the term angio-fibroblastic tendinosis. The goal of nonsurgical treatment is a revascularization and collagen repair of this pathologic tissue by rehabilitative exercise. In the event of rehabilitation failure, surgical correction by removal of this pathologic tissue is the surgical technique of choice.
Twenty-one patients who had had pain in the shoulder for more than three months were evaluated with ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging followed by computerized tomographic arthrography. The results of the imaging studies were then compared with the operative findings. Magnetic resonance imaging was found to be the most useful modality for establishment of the etiology of pain in the shoulder due to disease of the rotator cuff, instability associated with abnormality of the glenoid labrum, subacromial impingement, stenosis of the coracoacromial arch, and osteoarthrosis of either the glenohumeral or the acromioclavicular joint. The accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging was found to depend on both the operator and the technique and was decreased in extremely obese patients, due to difficulties in positioning, and in patients who had had a previous operation. Magnetic resonance imaging was more accurate than either computerized tomographic arthrography or ultrasonography in identifying partial-thickness tears (intrasubstance changes in the rotator cuff). Magnetic resonance imaging provided the same level of accuracy as computerized tomographic arthrography in the detection of abnormalities of the glenoid labrum.
Of the 1,213 clinical cases of lateral tennis elbow seen during the time period from December 19, 1971, to October 31, 1977, eighty-eight elbows in eighty-two patients had operative treatment. The lesion that was consistently identified at surgery was immature fibroblastic and vascular infiltration of the origin of the extensor carpi radialis brevis. A specific surgical technique was employed, including exposure of the extensor carpi radialis brevis, excision of the identified lesion, and repair. The results at follow-up were rated as excellent in sixty-six elbows, good in nine, fair in eleven, and failed in two. There was an over-all improvement rate of 97.7 per cent, and 85.2 per cent of the patients returned to full activity including rigorous sports.
Tennis elbow is an inflammation and/or rupture of the extensor aponeurosis at or about the lateral epicondyle. Relief of inflammation, improvement of strength, endurance, and flexibility of the injured extensor muscle unit, and diminution of the force loads in most instances will relieve symptoms.
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