“Owl” Technique for All-Arthroscopic Augmentation of a Massive or Large Rotator Cuff Tear With Extracellular Matrix Graft

Abstract

Despite the vast improvement in techniques and technology for arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery, repairs of massive and large tears remain challenging because they are associated with significantly high failure rates. In recent years, patch augmentation has gained popularity as a technique to decrease these high failure rates. Arthroscopic patch augmentation of rotator cuff repair, however, is technically difficult. The purpose of this report is to describe a simple and reproducible technique for all-arthroscopic extracellular matrix graft augmentation. With this technique, which we refer to as the “owl” technique because the prepared extracellular augment resembles an owl, there are relatively few suture ends involved; therefore, augment introduction is straightforward with a reduced risk of suture ends becoming tangled. In addition, the way in which our augmentation is prepared helps to prevent it from becoming bunched up when being secured.