Pseudoparalysis and Acromiohumeral Interval Reversibility Are the Most Important Factors Affecting the Achievement of Patient-Acceptable Symptom State After Arthroscopic-Assisted Latissimus Dorsi Tendon Transfer

Abstract

To determine the patient-acceptable symptom state (PASS) values for American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score and the Constant-Murley (CM) score after arthroscopic-assisted latissimus dorsi tendon transfer (LDTT) and to identify potential factors affecting the achievement of PASS. Fifty consecutive patients who underwent arthroscopic-assisted LDTT between 2015 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. In total, 42 patients met the inclusion criteria with minimum follow-up of 1 year postoperative. Patients were evaluated preoperatively and 1-year postoperatively with multiple clinical measurements including ASES, CM, score and PASS. The primary outcome was identified as patient satisfaction which assessed with achievement of a PASS. Potential factors affecting the patient satisfaction including age, sex, body mass index, previous surgery, presence of pseudoparalysis, critical shoulder angle, shoulder abduction moment index, acromiohumeral interval (AHI) reversibility, Hamada grade and fatty infiltration were evaluated for their association with PASS value by stepwise logistic regression analysis. A total of 42 patients were evaluated with mean follow-up 27.8 ± 8.21 months. The ASES and CM scores improved from preoperative means of 21.6± 6.5 and 25.2 ± 8.5 to 65.6 ± 20.7 points and 56.8 ± 16.5 points, respectively (P < .001). The PASS values for theASES and CM scores were 62.4 and 52.5, respectively. The univariate analysis showed that older age (P= .021), presence of pseudoparalysis (P < .001), previous surgery (P= .016), lower preoperative AHI (P= .028), and lower AHI reversibility (P < .001) were all significantly associated with worse patient satisfaction. The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that pseudoparalysis (P= .038) and AHI reversibility (P= .021) were independent prognostic factors affecting theachievement of a PASS after arthroscopic-assisted LDTT. The cutoff value for AHI reversibility topredict an achievement of PASS was found to be 4.0 mm. Arthroscopic-assisted LDTT led to satisfactoryresults in patients withmassive rotator cuff tears. However, pseudoparalysis and AHI reversibility were the most important independent prognostic factors that consistently reduced and increased, respectively, the odds of achieving a PASS. Level IV, retrospective case series.