Cuff Tears Research Articles

Comparison of the Latarjet Procedure and Iliac Crest Bone Graft Transfer in Bone Bankart Lesions in Recurrent Anterior Shoulder Dislocations.

There are various treatment modalities for bony Bankart lesions following glenohumeral joint dislocations. In this research, we aimed to compare the radiological and clinical results of patients who underwent the Latarjet procedure and iliac crest bone graft transfer. Clinical and radiological data of 15 patients were retrospectively evaluated. Inclusion criteria were a history of at least two dislocations, being between 18-65 years of age and having at least 10% glenoid bone loss. The exclusion criteria were defined as follows: patients who underwent only soft tissue procedures, patients who did not attend the follow-up, patients with other pathology in the upper extremity (fracture, cuff tear, etc.), and patients with a follow-up period of less than 12 months time. Nine patients underwent the Latarjet procedure and six underwent iliac crest bone graft transfer. Clinical evaluation, age, gender, body mass index, range of motion, Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QDASH) score, Constant score, and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score were evaluated. Radiographic evaluation was performed with preoperative and postoperative direct radiographs and computed tomography. Mann-Whitney U test, t-test, and Fisher exact tests were used for group comparisons. The mean age of the patients was 32.6 years and the mean follow-up period was 24.9 months. When the two groups were compared, no statistical difference was found in terms of age, gender, body mass index, range of motion, Constant score, VAS score, glenoid cartilage stepping, and bone defect (p>0.05). The operation time was longer in the iliac crest bone graft transfer group compared to the Latarjet group (p<0.05). Latarjet and iliac crest bone graft transfer can be used successfully in the treatment of bony Bankart in recurrent anterior shoulder dislocations. The operation time is longer in iliac crest bone graft transfer compared to the Latarjet procedure.

Arthroscopic treatment of calcific tendinitis without rotator cuff repair using prospectively collected results.

The treatment of calcific tendinitis can be either non-operative, which should always be the first step of treatment, or operative. In chronic calcifying tendinitis with insufficient conservative treatment, an arthroscopic excision of the calcification deposit may help, however, there is controversy about how it should be performed. This retrospective study, with prospectively collected results using the Surgical Outcome System™ (SOS, Arthrex®), evaluated the outcome of arthroscopic treatment of calcific tendinitis without rotator cuff repair. Outcome was measured by different scores such as Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Evaluation Form (ASES) and Single Assessment Numeric Scale (SANE). 54 patients were included in the analysis (male: 19; female: 35), mean age at surgery was 51 (range, 37-68) years. All scores improved compared with final follow-up. VAS score improved from 5,3 ± 2,2 to 0,9 ± 1,3 (p<0,001). ASES score improved from 53,0 ± 17,0 to 92,2 ± 11,1 (p<0,001) and SANE score from 47,2 ± 17,8 to 92,1 ± 10,6 (p<0,001). Most improvement is seen in the first 3 months postoperatively but gradual progress is to be expected up until 2 years. No frozen shoulders or cuff tears were reported postoperatively. No reoperations were necessary during follow-up. A noticeable fast pain relief and functional recovery are seen when treating a patient with calcific tendinitis without repairing the rotator cuff. There were no patients with frozen shoulder postoperatively.

Approaching Artificial Intelligence in Orthopaedics: Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning to Prognosticate Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Surgical Outcomes.

Machine learning (ML) has not yet been used to identify factors predictive for post-operative functional outcomes following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR). We propose a novel algorithm to predict ARCR outcomes using machine learning. This is a retrospective cohort study from a prospectively collected database. Data were collected from the Surgical Outcome System Global Registry (Arthrex, Naples, FL, USA). Pre-operative and 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month post-operative American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores were collected and used to develop a ML model. Pre-operative factors including demography, comorbidities, cuff tear, tissue quality, and fixation implants were fed to the ML model. The algorithm then produced an expected post-operative ASES score for each patient. The ML-produced scores were compared to actual scores using standard test-train machine learning principles. Overall, 631 patients who underwent shoulder arthroscopy from January 2011 to March 2020 met inclusion criteria for final analysis. A substantial number of the test dataset predictions using the XGBoost algorithm were within the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) and substantial clinical benefit (SCB) thresholds: 67% of the 12-month post-operative predictions were within MCID, while 84% were within SCB. Pre-operative ASES score, pre-operative pain score, body mass index (BMI), age, and tendon quality were the most important features in predicting patient recovery as identified using Shapley additive explanations (SHAP). In conclusion, the proposed novel machine learning algorithm can use pre-operative factors to predict post-operative ASES scores accurately. This can further supplement pre-operative counselling, planning, and resource allocation. Level of Evidence: III.

Risk of Revision Shoulder Arthroplasty After Anatomic and Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty.

The objective of this study was to determine the survivorship of anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (aTSA) and reverse TSA (rTSA) over a medium-term follow-up in a large population-based sample and to identify potential risk factors for revision surgery. The State Inpatient Database from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project was used to identify patients who underwent aTSA or rTSA from 2011 through 2015 using ICD9 codes. We modeled the primary outcome of time to revision or arthroplasty using the Cox proportional hazards model. The predictors of revision surgery in the model include aTSA versus rTSA, indication for surgery, age, sex, race, urban versus rural residence, hospital length of stay zip code-based income quartile classification, and Elixhauser comorbidity readmission score. Among 43,990 patients in this study, 1,141 (4.0%) underwent revision or implant removal over the 4-year study period. The median age was 71 years, and 57% of patients were female. Indications for the index surgery included primary osteoarthritis (75.2%), cuff tear (8.5%), acute fracture (7.0%), malunion/nonunion (1.4%), and other (7.8%). Among these indications for surgery, the risk of revision or removal was greatest in patients who underwent the primary procedure for malunion/nonunion (hazard ratio [HR] 2.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.69 to 3.39) compared with the reference of primary osteoarthritis. Male patients who underwent aTSA were less likely to need revision surgery than male patients who underwent rTSA (HR: 0.59, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.71), and the opposite relationship was observed in female patients (HR: 1.41, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.69). Age, length of stay, and Elixhauser comorbidity score were predictive of revision surgery (P < 0.0001, P = 0.0005, P < 0.0001, respectively), whereas race, urban versus rural, and zip code-based income quartile were not. aTSA and rTSA showed excellent 4-year survivorship of 96.0% in a large population-based sample. aTSA and rTSA survivorships were similar at the 4-year follow-up.

Paper 90: Histopathology of Rotator Cuff Tendons in Elderly Patients with Glenohumeral Arthritis without Cuff Tears

Paper 90: Histopathology of Rotator Cuff Tendons in Elderly Patients with Glenohumeral Arthritis without Cuff Tears

The IBTIS score, a new predictive score for arthroscopic biceps tenotomy

Objectives:Shoulder pain related to long head of biceps tendinopathy is common. Surgical treatment by arthroscopic tenotomy has proven to be effective. The objective was to evaluate the preoperative clinical and radiological prognostic factors of arthroscopic tenotomy of the long head of biceps, and to establish a predictive score of good response to treatment.Methods:We conducted a retrospective single-center study including 64 patients who underwent surgery between January 2018 and March 2020 by arthroscopic LHB tenotomy, whether or not associated with tenodesis. We identified 2 groups of patients based on a clinical evaluation 3 months postoperatively, which included subjective assessment by the Single Shoulder Value (SSV), Constant, C-Test, and pain scores: a good responder group and a poor responder group. Prognostic factors for good response were then identified in the 2 groups based on questioning, clinical examination and preoperative imaging. Based on these factors, a predictive score for a good response was established.Results:All evaluation criteria showed postoperative improvement: Mean SSV (72.2 vs 50.7; p 65 years (p = 0.01), cuff tear on preoperative imaging (p = 0.01), the Cross Arm Test (p = 0.02), night-time pain (p = 0.08), Yergason’s test (p = 0.16), the Speed Test (p = 0.22). Manual labor appeared to be a factor in an unfavorable outcome (p = 0.07). These factors were incorporated into the 10-point IBTIS score. A score above 5 was associated with a favorable outcome in more than 80% of the patients (p <0.001).Conclusion:The IBTIS (Isolated Biceps Tenotomy Index Score) is a preoperative clinical and radiological score with 7 items for surgical treatment by arthroscopic tenotomy of the long head of biceps. Further studies are required to validate the prognostic accuracy.

Ultrasound Features Associated With Shoulder Complaints: Calcifications Larger Than 6 mm in Young Patients and Positive Doppler Are Associated With Pain.

Objectives: To identify ultrasound (US) features associated with the presence of shoulder complaints.Methods: This observational, case-control study, compared US findings between participants with and without shoulder complaints, matched for age, sex, and dominancy. Data was collected from February 2018 to June 2020. Two-tailed Fisher's and Mann-Whitney U-tests were used, with p-values < 0.05 considered significant.Results: A total of 202 participants were enrolled (median age 56 years, range 18–70, 155 women), comprising 140 cases and 62 controls. A calcification size ≥6 mm, when age < 56 (p = 0.02), and a distance to tendon insertion ≥6 mm, when age ≥56 (p = 0.009), were only found in symptomatic shoulders. Color Doppler in rotator cuff (RC) tendons predominated in the presence of symptoms (26/140 vs. 2/62, p = 0.003). An algorithm also combining the number of calcifications, tendon echotexture and insertional thickening, osseous irregularity, cuff tears, and subacromial effusion showed a 92% (57/62) specificity for shoulder pain on this study sample.Conclusion: Calcification diameter of 6 mm or more is associated with shoulder pain in patients younger than 56 years. A distance from calcification to tendon insertion of 6 mm or more is related to pain in older patients. Doppler signal also is associated with shoulder pain. An algorithm based on a set of specific ultrasonographic criteria have a strong association with the presence of symptoms.

Fast magnetic resonance arthrography of the labrum

Research question: Short volumetric interpolated breath hold exam (VIBE) 3D gradient echo sequences are comparable to T1 spin echo (SE) sequences for evaluating the shoulder labrum using arthroscopy as a gold standard. Methods: 24 patients with suspected labral tears had magnetic resonance (MR) arthrography of the shoulder using 1.5T MR scanner. Coronal oblique 3D VIBE FS sequences were performed and reconstructed in axial and sagittal oblique planes and compared with standard T1 SE sequences. Presence and location of labral tear and rotator cuff tears were noted. Findings were correlated with surgery where available. Time to obtain T1 SE sequences versus 3D VIBE acquisition was recorded. Results: Of 24 patients, 54% had arthroscopy. Sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of both T1 SE and VIBE sequences for labral tears was 92%. 100% agreement for diagnosis of labral tear by readers between both sequences was noted. Specific labral tear location was accurate in 75% for both sequences. The mean time to obtain T1 SE sequences was 13.5 mins and 7.5 minutes for 3D VIBE sequences. Conclusion: Fast MR arthrography using 3D VIBE sequences shows excellent concordance with standard T1-FS sequence for diagnosis of labral tears. With shorter acquisition time and high diagnostic sensitivity 3D VIBE sequences maybe used as an alternative to standard sequences. Level of evidence: Level III retrospective diagnostic study.

A technique for repairing rotator cuff transtendinous tears with a remnant attached to the footprint

BackgroundSome unusual rotator cuff (RC) tears are located in more proximal tendinous portions, with substantial remnant tissue attached to the footprint. The two options for surgical repair are sacrificing or preserving the remnant tissue. We introduce a surgical repair technique that preserves as much of the remnant footprint as possible.Surgical techniqueA double-loaded suture anchor is inserted into the subchondral bone at the medial portion of the RC footprint; the lateral remnant tissue is preserved. Each strand is shuttled and repassed through the medial portion of the tendon in a mattress fashion using a suture hook device. Then, multiple no. 1 PDS sutures are passed through the medial and lateral stumps and left untied. Strands from the suture anchor are first tied in a double mattress fashion. Then, the repair is completed by tying the remaining no. 1 PDS sutures.ConclusionsWe propose a remnant-preserving RC repair technique for transtendinous RC tears with sufficient tissue remaining within the RC footprint. This technique appears advantageous in terms of re-establishing an environment that promotes tendon healing after repair.

The biomechanics of the rotator cuff in health and disease – A narrative review

The rotator cuff has an important role in the stability and function of the glenohumeral joint. It is a complex anatomic structure commonly affected by injury such as tendinopathy and cuff tears. The rotator cuff helps to provide a stabilising effect to the shoulder joint by compressing the humeral head against the glenoid cavity via the concavity compression mechanism. To appreciate the function of the cuff it is imperative to understand the normal biomechanics of the cuff as well as the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of cuff disease.The shoulder joint offers a wide range of motion due to the variety of rotational moments the cuff muscles are able to provide. In order for the joint to remain stable, the cuff creates a force couple around the glenohumeral joint with coordinated activation of adjacent muscles, which work together to contain the otherwise intrinsically unstable glenohumeral joint and prevent proximal migration of the humerus. Once this muscular balance is lost, increased translations or subluxation of the humeral head may result, leading to changes in the magnitude and direction of the joint reaction forces at the glenohumeral joint. These mechanical changes may then result in a number of clinical presentations of shoulder dysfunction, disease and pain.This narrative review aims to highlight the importance of functional rotator cuff biomechanics whilst assessing the kinetics and kinematics of the shoulder joint, as well as exploring the various factors involved in cuff disease.

Labral lesions in first-time traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation: it’s more than just Bankart …

AbstractIntroductionTraumatic anterior shoulder dislocation occurs frequently and usually affects young, active male patients. Detachment of the anteroinferior labrum, known as the Bankart lesion, is a common result. However, more extensive entities including bony lesions and disruptions of the labral ring can also be found. The aim of the present work was to analyze all cases of first-time traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation at a level‑1 trauma center with regard to the type of labral lesion. Focus was placed on the frequency and distribution of complex lesions and the extent of the surgical repair.Patients and methodsThe clinical database of a level‑1 trauma center with a specialized shoulder unit was searched to identify all patients with first-time anterior shoulder dislocation treated between 2015 and 2019. Of 224 patients, 110 underwent primary surgical repair after first-time dislocation (mean age 40 years).ResultsA total of 62% of patients had only a soft tissue injury, while 38% (n = 40) showed a bony Bankart lesion/fracture of the glenoid fossa with a mean defect size of 26%. In only 31% of patients (n = 34), a classicBankart repair was performed, whereas the remaining 69% underwent additional procedures.ConclusionIn this series of surgically treated first-time traumatic anterior shoulder dislocations, the majority of cases presented with more complex lesions than an isolated classic Bankart lesion. The risk for bony involvement and associated pathologies, such as cuff tears and greater tuberosity fracture, increases with age and requires a more extensive surgical approach. Disruption of the labral ring was frequently found in both soft tissue and bony lesions and directly affected the surgical procedure.

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING CHARACTERISTICS AND ADDED VALUES OF X-RAY AND ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN DIAGNOSIS OF ROTATOR CUFF LESIONS

Purpose: To study magnetic resonance imaging characteristics and the added values of x-ray and ultrasonography in diagnosis of rotator cuff lesions. Material and method: 45 patients with clinical suspected rotator cuff lesions were recruited from may 2018 to august 2019 at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital. Patients undergone X-ray, Ultrasonography, and Mri of shoulder joint. The X ray and sonographic features were compared to MRI results to evaluate the added value of X-ray and ultrasonography in diagnosing rotator cuff lesions. Results: Ultrasound detected supraspinatus tear in 86.7%, tendonitiss in 40% and tenosynovitis in 8.9% of cases. X-ray detected suggestive features of supraspinatus tendon injuries in 88.9% of cases. Patients with two or more suggestive features was 46.7% with greater tuberosity sclerosis and calcification at the attachment site of tendon were the most common findings. The relationship between diagnosis of supraspinatus tendon tear, tendonitis and tenosynovitis on ultrasound with the number of suggested features on X-rays was 0.02, 0.564, 0.89. Conclusion: X-ray have supportive value for ultrasound in diagnosis of supraspinatus tendon tear. Keywords: Rotator cuff tear, MRI and Ultrasonography rotator cuff tear, The value of Ultrasonography in Rotator cuff lesions.

Comparison of complication types and rates associated with anatomic and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty

Complications after anatomic (aTSA) and reverse (rTSA) total shoulder arthroplasty can be devastating to a patient's quality of life and require revisions that are costly to both the patient and the health care system. The purpose of this study is to determine the types, incidence, and timing of complications following aTSA and rTSA using an international database of patients who received a single-platform total shoulder arthroplasty system, in order to quantify the types of failuremodes and the differences that occur between aTSA and rTSA. A total of 2224 aTSA (male-female, 1090:1134) and 4158 rTSA (male-female, 1478:2680) patients were enrolled in an international database of primary shoulder arthroplasty performed by 40 different surgeons in the United States and Europe. Adverse events and revisions reported for these 6382 patients were analyzed to identify the most common failure modes associated for both aTSA and rTSA. For the 2224 aTSA patients, 239 adverse events were reported for a complication rate of 10.7% and 124 revisions for a revision rate of 5.6%. The top 3 complications for aTSA were rotator cuff tear/subscapularis failure (n = 69; complication rate = 3.1%, revision rate = 1.9%), aseptic glenoid loosening (n = 55; complication rate = 2.5%, revision rate = 1.9%), and infection (n = 28; complication rate = 1.3%, revision rate = 0.8%). For the 4158 rTSA patients, 372 adverse events were reported for a complication rate of 8.9% and 104 revisions for a revision rate of 2.5%. The top 3 complications for rTSA were acromial/scapular fracture/pain (n = 102; complication rate = 2.5%, revision rate = 0.0%), instability (n = 60; complication rate = 1.4%, revision rate = 1.0%), and pain (n = 49; complication rate = 1.2%, revision rate = 0.2%). This large database analysis quantified complication and revision rates for aTSA and rTSA. We found aTSA and rTSA complication rates of 10.7% and 8.9%, respectively; with revision surgery rates of 5.6% and 2.5%, respectively. The 2 most common complications for each prosthesis type (aTSA: subscapularis/rotator cuff tears, aseptic glenoid loosening; rTSA: acromial/scapular fractures, instability) were unique to each device. The rate of infection was similar for both. Future prosthesis and technique development should work to mitigate these common complication types in order to reduce their rate of occurrence.

Experience of steroid induced arthropathy (Treatment of bursitis accompanied with cuff tear)

Experience of steroid induced arthropathy (Treatment of bursitis accompanied with cuff tear)

IMPORTANCE OF DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING FOR INTERPRETATION OF SELF-REPORTED SURVEYS OF SHOULDER FUNCTION

Rotator cuff (RC) tear is highly prevalent in older adults. The American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon (ASES) survey, which quantifies subjective self-reported shoulder function, was originally validated in adults <60 years, and more recently is suggested to be valid in adults ≥60 years. We tested the hypothesis that ASES score (1) discriminates between adults 60—85 years with and without RC tear and (2) correlates with self-reported health quality and objective shoulder measures. Cross-sectional study: forty-two community-dwelling-older-adult volunteers (mean age, 69.4 ± 5.7 years; range, 61-84 years; male, 45%) with no history of RC surgery completed shoulder magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), shoulder forward flexion (FF) and abduction (ABD) range-of-motion (ROM) testing; and ASES, shoulder-pain and SF-36 (pain/physical function) surveys. Four groups (group-1:-pain,-tear,n=14; group-2:+pain,-tear,n=4; group-3:-pain,+tear,n=12; group-4:+pain,+tear,n=12) were compared using one-way ANOVA with ad hoc pairwise comparisons and Spearman Rank Order Correlation (rho). Age, Charlson co-morbidity index, and SF-36 pain/physical function were not appreciably different among all groups. ASES score (p<0.001), FF-ROM (p=0.032) and ABD-ROM (p=0.018) comparing all groups. ASES score: group-1 versus group-4 (p<0.001); but no difference between group-1 versus group-3 (p=0.999), and group-2 had lowest ASES score. ASES score correlated with SF-36 physical function (rho=0.47,p=0.002), SF-36 pain (rho=0.34,p=0.028), FF-ROM (rho=0.63,p<0.001), and ABD-ROM (rho=0.66,p<0.001). Our results suggest that additional research on ASES score in older adults is needed. Although valid, interpretation of ASES score in older adults should be approached cautiously in studies without shoulder diagnostic imaging tests, since painless RC tears and painful shoulders without RC tear are not rare.

Rotator Cuff Repair: Single Row Repair Versus Double Row Repair and Superior Capsular Reconstruction.

The surgical management of rotator cuff (RC) tears has progressed considerably in recent decades. Arthroscopic procedures now represent the mainstay of contemporary treatment approaches. The success of repair is predicated upon the achievement of a secure, durable repair that promotes tendon-to-bone healing. Both single and double row (DR) suture anchor configurations have been described to achieve stable fixation. Although consensus is lacking with regard to the clinical superiority of one configuration over another, trends in the literature suggest that DR repairs may optimize the likelihood of tendon healing and restoration of shoulder strength. In cases of truly irreparable RC tears, superior capsular reconstruction is a promising alternative to open tendon transfer and arthroplasty procedures. The purposes of this concise review are to: (1) explain our preference for a DR repair configuration in almost all circumstances; and (2) advocate superior capsular reconstruction as a viable treatment tactic for truly irreparable RC tears in the absence of significant glenohumeral arthritis.

Role of Ultrasonography in the Evaluation of Painful Shoulder

Introduction: Shoulder pain is a common problem encountered in clinical practice. It is often disabling to the patient and results in considerable morbidity and unsatisfactory outcomes if therapy is not instituted effectively or delayed. Ultrasonography is a rapid, real time and cost effective alternative to MRI and diagnostic arthroscopy. Here, we compare sonographic diagnosis with clinical diagnosis in the diagnosis of the various causes of shoulder pain.&#x0D; Methods: This descriptive study was done in the radiology department of Nepalgunj Medical College Teaching Hospital, Kohalpur during a time period of 18 months. About 30 cases of shoulder pain that had been evaluated clinically by a single examiner in the orthopedics OPD were diagnosed with the help of sonography. Correlation between clinical diagnosis and USG diagnosis was done.&#x0D; Results: Clinically, most of these cases were provisionally diagnosed as Frozen shoulder 9 (30%) followed by Cuff tendinopathy 8 (26.66%) and Impingement syndrome 6 (20%). However, USG of the shoulder revealed rotator cuff tendinopathy and cuff tear (n=6 each) to be the main etiology behind shoulder pain. Supraspinatus calcific tendinopathy was found in 4 individuals. Hence, it was seen that the diagnosis of the causes of shoulder pain with clinical tests alone is unsatisfactory. Out of 30 cases, clinical examination could correctly diagnose only 20% of the time (n=6). 73% of the time (n=20), USG showed a different diagnosis compared to clinical examination whereas in 4 (7%) cases a more specific diagnosis was reached.Conclusions: We conclude that USG is more specific and frequently leads to increased diagnostic accuracy when compared to clinical examination.

Arthroscopic release and repair of concomitant shoulder stiffness and cuff tear

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of arthroscopic capsular release and rotator cuff repair as one-stage treatment for cases with concomitant shoulder stiffness and cuff tear. Patients and methods One-stage arthroscopic capsular release with rotator cuff repair was performed in 56 patients. All patients were evaluated at a minimum 2-year follow-up with a visual analog scale score for pain, range of motion, and the Constant and University of California at Los Angeles scores for clinical assessment. Results At the final follow-up, the mean visual analog scale score improved significantly to 1.7±0.98 points postoperatively (P Conclusion The arthroscopic tackling of concomitant shoulder stiffness and cuff tear with one-stage capsular release and repair of torn rotator cuff showed satisfactory results and fastened the return to normal activities. Moreover, addition of the L-shaped posterior capsular release improved the postoperative internal rotation range of motion. Level of Evidence: Level III case–control study.

A case of intraosseous ganglion of greater tubercle with cuff tear

A case of intraosseous ganglion of greater tubercle with cuff tear

Effect of Preoperative Fatty Degeneration of the Rotator Cuff Muscles on the Clinical Outcome of Patients With Intact Tendons After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair of Large/Massive Cuff Tears

Background: Fatty degeneration of the rotator cuff muscles is associated not only with postoperative retear but also with postoperative muscle weakness; therefore, fatty changes in the muscles may affect the clinical outcome even in patients with these tears who have intact tendons after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR). Purpose: To evaluate the effect of fatty infiltration on the clinical outcome in patients with intact tendons after arthroscopic repair of large/massive cuff tears. Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: One hundred fifty-five consecutive patients with large/massive rotator cuff tears underwent ARCR. Of these, 55 patients (mean ± SD age, 64.4 ± 9.1 years) in whom intact tendons after surgery were confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging at final follow-up (mean ± SD, 2.5 ± 1.4 years) were included in this study. Depending on their University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) score at the final follow-up, they were assigned to either the unsatisfactory group (score ≤27; n = 12) or the satisfactory group (score >27; n = 43). Various clinical parameters affecting the clinical outcome were examined through univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: The UCLA score of all patients significantly improved from 18.1 ± 4.4 points preoperatively to 29.8 ± 4.5 points postoperatively (P < .0001). The mean preoperative UCLA scores were not significantly different between the satisfactory and unsatisfactory groups (P = .39). Multivariate analysis showed that the preoperative Goutallier stages of the infraspinatus (odds ratio [OR], 8.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.51-52.0; P = .016) and/or subscapularis (OR, 7.53; 95% CI, 1.58-35.9; P = .011) were significantly associated with outcome. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed a cutoff value of Goutallier stage 1 in both muscles, with area under the curve values of 0.79 (sensitivity 91% and specificity 51%) and 0.84 (sensitivity 100% and specificity 54%) in the infraspinatus and subscapularis, respectively. Conclusion: Preoperative fatty degeneration of the infraspinatus and/or subscapularis with Goutallier stage 2 or higher was significantly associated with worse outcome in patients with large/massive tears who had intact tendons after ARCR.