Internal rotation contracture is the most frequent and important secondary deformity of the shoulder in birth palsy. The problem is sometimes addressed by muscle release procedures such as the posterior subscapular slide or an anterior subscapularis tendon lenghtening operations. Once passive external rotation is improved, the child is later assessed for muscle transfers to reconstruct active external rotation if necessary [4].
According to Chang et al [5] there are two types of residual muscle impairment after recovery in the late obstetric brachial plexus palsy: motor recovery with cross-innervation and paralysis or paresis. Contractures of the pectoralis major, teres major, brachialis and biceps muscles, which are most frequently observed, cause the deformity of the shoulder and elbow. The reconstructive strategy include releasing of the antagonistic muscles (elongation of the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi muscles) and augmentation of the paretic muscles (teres major transfer to the infraspinatus muscle for augmentation of shoulder external rotation and abduction and reinsertions of both ends of the clavicular part of the pectoralis major laterally for deltoid augmentation).
However, there are still many controversies concerning donor muscle choice for transfer, timing and operative tecniques of palliative surgical theraphy for the shoulder deformity.
The infraspinatus muscle works to center the humeral head in the glenoid throughout elevation. External rotation of the shoulder allows greater arm elevation by clearing the greater tuberosity from impingement by the coracoacromial arch. External rotation of the humerus also positions the long head biceps centrally to aid in its function as humeral stabilizer and loosens the inferior glenohumeral ligaments, thereby allowing greater arm elevation. Hence the infraspinatus muscle plays a key role in shoulder elevation as a humeral head stabilizer, an active abductor, and an external rotator of the shoulder [6].
The importance of transferring the teres major and latissimus dorsi as one conjoined tendon and anchoring into the posterior aspect of the greater tuberosity at the insertion of the infraspinatus similar to Hoffer method is augmentation of the weakened infraspinatus. Transfer with this technique instead of rerouting around humeral neck enables a stronger external rotator power because of the increased mechanical advantage at its insertion in the humeral head as opposed to the humeral shaft. The reason for the dramatic improvement of shoulder abduction after latissimus muscle transfer is probably because the transfer enhances the stabilizing effect of the rotator cuff which enables the deltoid to act more effectively, this phenomenon was called "force couple" effect by Phipps and Hoffer [11].
In many centers, muscle release procedures are performed before the age of two years, however for older children tendon transfer to restore abduction and external rotation is added [12]. It is accepted that the corrective procedures to rebuild the muscle equilibrium are best undertaken before permanent bony deformity occurs at 3 to 4 years of age [13].
Gilbert [14] suggested that release of the subscapularis is indicated if the external rotation does not improve more than 20°. Based on his 5 years of follow up, he reported excellent results after subscapularis release especially in patients before the age of 2 years. Raimondi also waits for the active external rotation due to the reinforcement of weak external rotator muscles after subscapular muscle release procedure in early ages but since recovery of the external rotators cannot be expected, he preferres the tendon transfer and muscle release operations at the same time in children older than 4 years of age [9].
Muhlig et al [12] described a common policy accepted by most of the centers. According to this; if passive external rotation of the shoulder stays < 30°, surgical treatment is indicated. If there is no posterior displacement of the humeral head than a subscapular slide will be used. However, if there is posterior displacement of the humeral head than subscapular lengthening by an anterior approach will be preferred. Indications for tendon transfer for improving external rotation and abduction are determined as well. If infraspinatus muscle does not show signs of reinnervation by the age of 2 years, a muscle transfer should be added to the subscapularis lengthening to avoid recurrence. If there is a fixed medial rotation contracture and posterior luxation of the humeral head with deformities of the glenoid than derotational osteotomy of the humerus should be added to the subscapularis lengthening.
As all of our patients were older than 2 years of age, we performed latissimus dorsi and teres major transfer at the same session with subscapularis and pectoralis major release.
In total flail shoulders, despite a certain degree of innervation, the functional results of shoulder corresponds to zero with the absence of a strong latissimus dorsi. In that condition, the levator scapulae muscle is utilised as an intrinsic stabilizer of glenohumeral joint and trapezius muscle is used as a prime mover for shoulder abduction with or without latissimus dorsi and teres major transfers [9].
Gilbert in his series of 44 patients with transfer of latissimus dorsi, the improvement of abduction was satisfactory in the shoulders which preoperatively coded as Grade III (Shoulder abduction is between 90°–120°, external rotation is between 0°–30°) or more, but not in those coded as Grade II (Shoulder abduction is between 45°–90°, external rotation is to neutral) or less. Hence he thought it may be necessary to add a concomitant transfer of the trapezius to the patients whose abduction of the shoulder was weak or absent [15].
Chen et al [10] asserted the need for an additional trapezius muscle transfer for shoulder of the patients who had less than 90° abduction to increase the success of the classic latissimus dorsi + teres major transfer. They transferred latissimus dorsi by fixing its tendon to the insertion of the infraspinatus and tenotomized the teres major and then attached to the belly of the latissimus dorsi and found out in their early stage of treatment that, 10 of 18 cases with abduction less than 90°, with transfer of the latissimus dorsi and the teres major, patients gained no improvement of abduction but some recovery of external rotation, while five of seven patients with abduction equal or more than 90°, made significant progress in both abduction and external rotation.
Al-Qattan [16] performed latissimus dorsi transfer on 12 children with variable preoperative shoulder abduction (range 60–150°, mean 100°) and postoperatively ten children achieved a modified Mallet score of 4 and were able to reach the occiput easily and they had mean 140° active shoulder abduction (range 90–170°). Hence the author also did not find any difference in patients with weak or strong preoperative abduction.
It is our opinion that in our Group I patients, the co-contraction between shoulder abductors (supraspinatus, infraspinatus and deltoid) and adductors (mainly, pectoralis major, teres major and latissimus dorsi) and also subscapularis muscle tightness cause limitation of shoulder elevation. If antagonistic muscles (teres major and latissimus dorsi) are transferred for the paretic muscles (infraspinatus) and the pectoralis major and subscapularis muscles are released with preserving their shoulder stability function, these children can have as succesfull postoperative shoulder abduction and external rotation as the children in Group II, who has less cross innervation hence better preoperative abduction value. Group I and II patient had almost similar postoperative mean abduction (131.4° & 140°, respectively) and external rotation values (82.6° & 82.7°, respectively).
Extensive dissection of latissimus dorsi and teres major muscles from the surrounding structures gave us the opportunity to utilize both muscles for transfer, without any difficulty during the passage of the conjoined tendon through the tunnel which was prepared between long head of triceps and deltoid muscle, and also during reinsertion to the humerus.
Several authors reported recurrences of the deformity in terms of reduction of external rotation and abduction gain. Two of the 12 children in Al-Qattan series [16] and three of 35 cases in Phipps and Hoffer series [11] had recurrence of the deformity. Al-Qattan [16] classified the possible cause of this late complication as recurrence of the internal rotation contracture (mainly in the subscapularis), gradual contracture of the teres major as part of the inferior glenohumeral angle contracture and co-contraction of the muscles. We did not have any recurrence of the deformity during the follow-up period which may be related to the use of rigid fixation with bone anchors for reinsertion of the conjoint tendon.
We believe that in cases who has congruent glenohumeral joint (Type I-III Waters-Peljovich grading system), and deltoid muscle strength of M3–M4 (British Medical Research Council evaluation) but weak or absent external rotation, if the latissimus dorsi and teres major muscles have sufficient strength (M3 or more), the ideal procedure is transfer of latissimus dorsi and /or teres major onto the posterior aspect of the greater tuberosity of humerus, at the insertion of the infraspinatus. So we are not totally convinced about adding trapezius muscle transfer concomitantly with the latissimus dorsi + teres major transfer session. We rather preserve this muscle for the patients that could not achieve enough shoulder abduction after the first operation.