Arthroscopic knotless single-row repair preserving full footprint versus tear completion repair for partial articular-sided rotator cuff tear.

Abstract

The comparison of clinical outcomes of arthroscopic footprint-preserving knotless single-row repair with the tear completion repair technique for articular-sided partial-thickness rotator cuff tears (PTRCTs) remains unclear. A total of 68 patients diagnosed with articular-sided PTRCTs who underwent rotator cuff repair between December 2014 and June 2015 were included. Of the 68 patients, 30 received footprint-preserving knotless single-row repair (group 1) and 38 received the tear completion repair technique (group 2). Preoperative and postoperative assessments were compared. Both groups had significantly improved American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores (group 1: 48.2 preoperatively to 81.9 postoperatively, p < 0.001; group 2: 47.1 preoperatively to 84.9 postoperatively, p < 0.001) and visual analog scale (VAS) pain score (group 1: 6.0 preoperatively to 0.93 postoperatively, p < 0.001; group 2: 6.1 preoperatively to 1.1 postoperatively, p < 0.001), showing that the two procedures significantly improved postoperative shoulder function. No significant differences were shown in ASES score or VAS pain score between the two groups ( p > 0.05). The mean operation time was significantly shorter in group 1 with an average of 48.1 min than in group 2 with an average of 60.4 min ( p < 0.001). Footprint-preserving knotless single-row repair obtains similar clinical results compared to tear completion repair in the treatment of articular-sided PTRCTs. Footprint-preserving knotless single-row repair may be a convenient choice for the treatment of articular-sided PTRCTs. Randomized controlled studies are needed to investigate whether the footprint-preserving knotless single-row repair yields better long-term outcomes through the protection of the bursal cuff and restoration of the healthy footprint.