Surgical Management of Shoulder and Knee Instability in Patients with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: Joint Hypermobility Syndrome

Management of Shoulder Instability in Patients with Underlying Hyperlaxity

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Shoulder instability in patients with underlying joint hyperlaxity can be challenging to treat. Poorly defined terminology, heterogeneous treatments, and sparse reports on clinical outcomes impair the development of best practices in this patient population. This article provides a review of the current literature regarding optimal management of patients suffering from shoulder instability with concomitant hyperlaxity of the shoulder, from isolated shoulder joint hyperlaxity to congenital hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD).

RECENT FINDINGS

Current research shows specialized physiotherapy protocols focused on strengthening of periscapular muscles and improvement of sensorimotor control are a promising non-surgical therapeutic avenue in certain patients, which can be augmented by device-based intervention in select cases. If surgical treatment is warranted, arthroscopic techniques such as pancapsular shift or plication continue to demonstrate favorable outcomes and are currently considered the benchmark for success. The long-term success of more recent innovations such as coracoid process transfers, conjoint tendon transfers, subscapularis tendon augmentation, and capsular reconstruction remains unproven. For patients affected by connective tissue disorders, treatment success is generally less predictable, and the entire array of non-operative and operative interventions needs to be considered to achieve the best patient-specific treatment results. In the treatment of shoulder instability and concomitant hyperlaxity, specialized physiotherapy protocols augmented by device-based interventions have emerged as powerful, non-operative treatment options for select patients. Successful surgical approaches have been demonstrated to comprehensively address capsular redundancy, labral lesions, and incompetence of additional passive stabilizers in a patient-specific fashion, respective of the underlying connective tissue constitution.

Dynamic pediatric shoulder instability: Etiology, pathogenesis and treatment

Dynamic shoulder instability in children or adolescents, whose glenohumeral growth plates are still open, is a rare condition with an etiology that is hard to decipher. Atraumatic and recurrent forms are most common, contrary to adults. Disruptions to capsule and ligament maturation, muscle balance or bone growth can lead to glenohumeral instability. The etiology assessment, which needs to be multidisciplinary in atraumatic forms, aims to collect the medical history, analyze the direction of the instability, determine whether it is voluntary or involuntary, and look for a history of trauma, connective tissue abnormality, psychological disorder, neuromuscular pathology or congenital malformation. The initial treatment is conservative. It requires a multidisciplinary team when the shoulder instability is voluntary. Surgical treatment is reserved for symptomatic forms that do not respond to conservative treatment and have an impact on daily life and/or sports participation after a minimum of 6 months of well-conducted rehabilitation. The results of surgical stabilization mainly depend on the features of the instability, the anatomical structures damaged and the etiology. Episodes of recurrent instability in children/adolescents with open glenohumeral growth plates can fade in adulthood or can get worse with the development of structural damage. Early detection of poor outcomes and suitable treatment will help to limit the occurrence of osteoarthritis in the medium and long term. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Expert opinion.

Proximal tibiofibular joint (PTFJ) dislocation due to Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: posterolateral open-wedge high tibial osteotomy combined with medial closed-wedge distal femoral osteotomy can correct the severe valgus deformity with a markedly increased tibial posterior slope

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) causes joint hypermobility and joint dislocation. Since there are no reports of proximal tibiofibular joint (PTFJ) dislocation caused by EDS, little is known about the long-term course of this disease. A woman in her 40s presented with a posterolaterally depressed tibial condyle and severe valgus deformity caused by a long-standing PTFJ dislocation due to EDS. Considering the pathology, posterolateral open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (PLOWHTO) and medial closed-wedge distal femoral osteotomy were performed according to the deformity analysis. A favourable short-term clinical outcome was obtained and the PTFJ dislocation was reduced over time. Although PLOWHTO has several pitfalls, it is a logical and useful surgical technique that can help treat posterolateral dysplasia of the tibial plateau concomitant with severe valgus deformity, regardless of joint laxity, if performed with attention to pitfalls.

Double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using autologous hamstring tendon hybrid grafts in a patient with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: A case report

BACKGROUND

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a connective tissue disorder characterized by skin hyperextensibility, joint hypermobility, and tissue friability. Hypermobile type Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) is considered one of the EDS subtypes characterized by generalized joint hypermobility. Although there have been a few case reports which described surgical considerations for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions in patients with other types of EDS, no reports have described those in patients with hEDS.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report a case of ACL injury in an 18-year-old male patient with hEDS. The patient was successfully treated with an anatomic double-bundle ACL reconstruction using autologous hamstring tendon hybrid grafts which consist of hamstring tendons connected in a series with commercially available polyester tape. The autogenous tendon portion of the anteromedial and posterolateral bundles were composed of 4 and 2 strands of hamstring tendons, respectively. After 2 weeks of knee joint immobilization, continuous passive motion exercise of the knee joint and partial weight-bearing was allowed. A hinged knee brace was used for a period of 5 months postoperatively. Second-look arthroscopy at 30 months showed that the ACL graft had no laceration and an excellent coverage of the synovium. At 36 months after surgery, the side-to-side differences in the anterior laxity was remarkably improved. The operated knee showed negative Lachman test and had a full range of motion.

CONCLUSIONS

To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first report of anatomic double-bundle ACL reconstruction in patients with hEDS and demonstrates excellent clinical and functional outcomes.