Since January 1991, eight irreparable, massive rotator cuff tears have been treated with latissimus dorsi and teres major transfers described by Gerber in 1988. Our series consisted of 7 males and a female with an averave age of 63.6 years. There were no neurovascular complications or infections. The average follow-up was 10.5 months(range 3.5 to 21 months). Pain was improved in all the cases. The average active flection was 117.5°; preoperatively and 132.5°; postoperatively. The Japan Orthopaedic Association Shoulder Evaluation Score averaged 66.3 Points preopratively and 76.6 points postoperatively. The synthetic results were excellent in three cases, good in one, fair in one, and poor in the remaining three cases.
