Arthroscopic suture-bridge repair for moderate to massive full-thickness rotator cuff tear

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the early clinical outcomes of arthroscopic suture-bridge repair of media to large full-thickness rotator cuff tear. Methods One hundred patients that underwent arthroscopic suture-bridge (suture-bridge group, n=50) or single-row repair (single-row suture group, n=50) for media to massive full-thickness rotator cuff tear from June 2010 to June 2014 were enrolled in this study. The patients (63 males and 37 females), aged 58.7 years (range, 46 to 75 years), were all available to the follow-up. Thirty-one patients were injured in traffic crashes, 30 in falls, 27 in strains and 12 with no apparent reasons. Early passive activity was allowed in suture-bridge group, while shoulder abduction was maintained for 6 weeks postoperatively in control group. Clinical and functional outcomes were measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS), range of motion, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) score, and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score. Results Mean duration of follow-up was 16.7 months (range, 8 to 24 months). Prior to the surgery, these measurements were similar between the two groups. After a follow-up of 3 months, the differences were significant in suture-bridge group compared to control group: VAS [(1.7±1.5) points vs (3.9±2.1) points], forward flexion [(168.3±30.2)° vs (120.2±51.6)°], external rotation [(47.0±11.0)° vs (31.8±13.8)°], UCLA score [(31.7±4.2) points vs (18.2±4.8) points], ASES score [(86.2±14.6) points vs (35.9±17.7) points] (P<0.05). No re-tear occurred after operation. Conclusion Arthroscopic suture-bridge repair of moderate to massive full-thickness rotator cuff tear results in significant improvement of function outcomes and clinical results, indicating a reliable and effective treatment technique. Key words: Arthroscopy; Shoulder; Suture bridge technique