Objective To review the research progress of ultrasound in the diagnosis and treatment of shoulder diseases, in order to provide a theoretical basis for the further development of ultrasound in shoulder surgery. Methods The recent literature on the application of ultrasound in the shoulder joint was extensively reviewed. The application of ultrasound in the diagnosis and treatment of shoulder joint diseases, and the advantages and disadvantages of ultrasound were analysed, and the development trend of ultrasound technology in the shoulder joint area was prospected. Results At present, the diagnosis of shoulder joint diseases mainly relies on MRI, however, with the development of ultrasound technology, ultrasound with the characteristics of convenient, reliable, and real-time dynamic evaluation is more and more recognized in the diagnosis process of shoulder joint diseases, combined with three-dimensional ultrasound, ultrasound intervention, and elastography can improve the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the diagnosis, and is suitable for the diagnosis and treatment of various shoulder joint diseases, which is expected to carry out early prevention of shoulder joint diseases in the future and achieve more refined and minimally invasive treatment. ConclusionUltrasound technology has wide application prospect in shoulder joint diseases, but it is still in the developing stage, and the subjective dependence needs to be solved further.
Objective To systematically evaluate the effect of arm sling on shoulder subluxation in stroke patients with hemiplegia. METHODS CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, OVID, EBM Reviews, Best Practice, ACP Journal Club, and Practice Guidline were searched from establishment to March 2023. The literature on randomized controlled trials of arm sling on gait or balance in post-stroke patients with hemiplegia were included. RevMan 5.4.1 software was used for meta-analysis. Results A total of 13 articles were included, including 691 subjects, 343 in the experimental group, and 348 in the control group. The meta-analysis results showed that patients wearing the boom arm were effective in improving the recovery of upper extremity function [mean difference (MD)=8.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) (2.39, 11.60), P＜0.000 01], relieving pain due to shoulder subluxation [MD=−1.13, 95%CI (−1.70, −0.56), P=0.000 1], and enhancement of patients’ quality of life in daily activities [MD=15.07, 95%CI (3.24, 26.90), P=0.01], all of which were superior to the control group. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of Apnea-Hypopnea Index [MD=−1.86, 95%CI (−3.79, 0.06), P=0.06], 6 min walking test [MD=−0.51, 95%CI (−18.52, 17.49), P=0.96], 10 meter walk time [MD=0.00, 95%CI (−0.06, 0.06), P=0.91], heart rate [MD=−0.22, 95%CI (−5.10, 4.27), P=0.93], and Berg balance scale [MD=−2.53, 95%CI (−8.17, 3.10), P=0.38]. Conclusion The use of arm sling can effectively improve patients’ quality of life, functional recovery of the upper limbs and reduce pain, providing an evidence-based basis for healthcare professionals to treat patients with proven treatment modalities.
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of biodegradable magnesium alloy materials in promoting tendon-bone healing during rotator cuff tear repair and to investigate their potential underlying biological mechanisms. Methods Forty-eight 8-week-old Sprague Dawley rats were taken and randomly divided into groups A, B, and C. Rotator cuff tear models were created and repaired using magnesium alloy sutures in group A and Vicryl Plus 4-0 absorbable sutures in group B, while only subcutaneous incisions and sutures were performed in group C. Organ samples of groups A and B were taken for HE staining at 1 and 2 weeks after operation to evaluate the safety of magnesium alloy, and specimens from the supraspinatus tendon and proximal humerus were harvested at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after operation. The specimens were observed macroscopically at 4 and 12 weeks after operation. Biomechanical tests were performed at 4, 8, and 12 weeks to test the ultimate load and stiffness of the healing sites in groups A and B. At 2, 4, and 12 weeks, the specimens were subjected to the following tests: Micro-CT to evaluate the formation of bone tunnels in groups A and B, HE staining and Masson staining to observe the regeneration of fibrocartilage at the tendon-bone interface after decalcification and sectioning, and Goldner trichrome staining to evaluate the calcification. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the expression of angiogenic factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), as well as osteogenic factors at the tendon-bone interface. Additionally, immunofluorescence staining was used to examine the expression of arginase 1 and Integrin beta-2 to assess M1 and M2 macrophage polarization at the tendon-bone interface. The role of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway in tendon-bone healing was further analyzed using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. Results Analysis of visceral sections revealed that magnesium ions released during the degradation of magnesium alloys did not cause significant toxic effects on internal organs such as the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys, indicating good biosafety. Histological analysis further demonstrated that fibrocartilage regeneration at the tendon-bone interface in group A occurred earlier, and the amount of fibrocartilage was significantly greater compared to group B, suggesting a positive effect of magnesium alloy material on tendon-bone interface repair. Additionally, Micro-CT analysis revealed that bone tunnel formation occurred more rapidly in group A compared to group B, further supporting the beneficial effect of magnesium alloy on bone healing. Biomechanical testing showed that the ultimate loads in group A were consistently higher than in group B, at 4 weeks, the stiffness of group A was also greater than that of group B, indicating stronger tissue-carrying capacity following tendon-bone interface repair and highlighting the potential of magnesium alloy in enhancing tendon-bone healing. Immunohistochemical staining results indicated that the expression of VEGF and BMP-2 was significantly upregulated during the early stages of healing, suggesting that magnesium alloy effectively promoted angiogenesis and bone formation, thereby accelerating the tendon-bone healing process. Immunofluorescence staining further revealed that magnesium ions exerted significant anti-inflammatory effects by regulating macrophage polarization, promoting their shift toward the M2 phenotype. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR results demonstrated that magnesium ions could facilitate tendon-bone healing by modulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, which represented one of the molecular mechanisms driving this healing process. ConclusionBiodegradable magnesium alloy material accelerated fibrocartilage regeneration and calcification at the tendon-bone interface in rat rotator cuff tear repair by regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby significantly enhancing tendon-bone healing.