Repair Integrity and Functional Outcomes after Arthroscopic Repair of Transtendinous Full-thickness Rotator Cuff Tears Minimum Two-year Follow-up

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the clinical outcomes and associated repair integrity in patients treated with arthroscopic repair for a transtendinous rotator cuff tear followed by resection of the remnant rotator cuff tendon. METHODS: Between July 2007 and July 2011, we retrospectively reviewed patients who were treated for transtendinous full-thickness tears in the tendinous portion of the rotator cuff by arthroscopic repair. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, the Shoulder Rating Scale of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), the Constant-Murley score, a visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score, and range of motion (ROM). The repair integrity was determined by magnetic resonance imaging or ultrasonography. RESULTS: There were 19 shoulders with transtendinous full-thickness tears in the tendinous portion of the rotator cuff. The ASES, UCLA, Constant-Murley, and VAS pain scores showed significant improvements in function and symptoms (all p<0.001). The active ROM for forward flexion and abduction was also significantly improved (p=0.002 and p<0.001, respectively). The postoperative radiological examination showed cuff integrity without a re-tear in 68.4% of patients. However, the UCLA, ASES, and Constant-Murley scores were not significantly different between healed and re-torn group (p=0.530, p=0.885, and p=0.262, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Although repair of transtendinous rotator cuff tears followed by resection of the remnant rotator cuff tendon in the footprint has a relatively high re-tear rate, no significant difference was observed in the short-term clinical results between the re-tear and healed groups.