2011 Volume 35 Issue 3 Pages 865-868
We presented the clinical and structural outcome of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with alternative repair methods for patients who had full-thickness tear in posterosuperior rotator cuff. Eighty-nine consecutive patients who had had full-thickness posterosuperior rotator cuff tears grouped to two of the followings. In the BS group (44 cases 44 shoulders, 28 men and 15 women, whose average age was 67.3 years old), the torn cuff was repaired using suture anchors by bridging method. The AT Group consisted of 45 cases (21 men and 24 women, whose average age was 66.7 years old) received arthroscopic transosseous repair through medial and lateral intersecting bone tunnels. There were no differences between the groups about regarding age, size of tear, and preoperative duration of symptoms. Clinical outcome was evaluated using Japanese Orthopaedic Association shoulder score (JOA-SS), range-of-motion, and muscle strength. Structural outcome was evaluated using MRI-imaging classification after Sugaya.
All patients in both groups improved after surgery on pain, range-of-motion, JOA-SS and muscle strength. Clinical results were not significantly different in the two groups. Postoperative repair integrity also showed no difference in either group. The arthroscopic transosseous rotator cuff repair was equally as effective as suture anchor bridging repair for full-thickness posterosuperior rotator cuff tears.
