The purpose of this study is to evaluate the results of arthroscopic surgery for patients with full thickness tears of the rotator cuff.
The arthroscopic surgery was composed of debridement of the rotator cuff, synovectomy and lavage of the subacromial bursa and the glenohumeral joint, resection of the coraco-acromial ligament and labral tear, acromioplasty and debridement of the glenohumeral joint. OUr indications for arthroscopic surgery are for a patient, who is over 65 years old, and whose forward flection could be relieved by an injection into the subacromial space with Xy-locaine, but who has had pain which has not subsided with conservative therapy ever a period of more than 6 months. We operated on 8 shoulders with full-thickness rotator cuff tears and investigated 6 shoulders with a minimum 9-month-follow-up. The patients were 3 males and 3 famales, with an age range of from 55 to 76.
The average score at follow-up time was 91.6 with a 31.2 gain from the pre-op value (JOA score). Pain relief had improved significantly. Arthroscopic surgery with debridement of the glenohumeral joint was performed on two of the 8 cases. The results of surgery with a debridement of the glenohumeral joint were better than a surgery without one.
A patient with a full-thickness rotator cuff tear, who is over 65 years old and has intact forward flection, can obtain good results from arthroscopic surgery.
