Abstract
Background: The bridging suture repair is a new arthroscopic technique to repair rotator cuff tears. There is a possibility that the bridging suture repair will reduce acromial erosion. The purpose of this study is to compare the clinical and imaging outcomes between double row repair (DR group) and bridging suture repair (BS group).
Methods: We retrospectively studied 88 shoulders of 86 patients who underwent ARCR (DR group: 61 shoulders, BS group: 25 shoulders). The average age at operation was 58.9 years old in DR group, and 57.6 years old in BS group. The average age, preoperative JOA score and tear size in the two groups showed no statistically significant difference.
We evaluated the postoperative JOA score, range of motion, retear of rotator cuff and erosion of the inferior surface of the acromion (AE). Retear of rotator cuff and AE were evaluated by MRI.
Results: Postoperative JOA score, range of motion and retear of rotator cuff did not differ significantly between the two groups. However the AE rate was 39.8% in DR group, 16.0% in BS group. There was significant difference in AE rate between DR group and BS group.
Conclusion: This study suggested that BS is useful to avoid knot impingement.
