An Arthroscopic Humeral Medializing Repair of the Supraspinatus

The effect of medial shift of supraspinatus tendon on the glenohumeral joint motion-a cadaveric study

PURPOSE

Full-thickness retracted massive supraspinatus tears are a challenge for arthroscopic surgeons where multiple options for treatment exist, but medializing the attachment is a relatively easy procedure for which a decision can be taken intraoperatively. We investigate the viability of MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ten freshly thawed cadavers were taken and dissected. The supraspinatus tendon was resected, and then its attachment was progressively medialized. The range of motion (abduction, internal and external rotation) was recorded and compared. As a result, we noted a statistically significant decrease in abduction, internal and external rotation with progressive medialization of the supraspinatus insertion.

CONCLUSION

Medialized repair of the supraspinatus can be performed only to an extent beyond which it compromises glenohumeral motion. We noted a statistically significant decrease in ROM with even a 3 mm medialization of the tendon, but the acceptable medialization has to be determined on a case-to-case basis.

Repair of Massive Rotator Cuff Tear With Medialization and Balloon Spacer Insertion

Retracted massive rotator cuff tears can be challenging to repair. Reduction of the retracted tendon to the native footprint may result in a repair with excessive tension. Repair under excessive tension predisposes to increased tendon retear rates. Footprint medialization involves securing the tendon medial to the anatomic footprint, resulting in decreased tension during repair. Several surgical adjuncts can also be employed to reinforce such tears so as to reduce the risk of retear. The aim of this Technical Note is to describe a surgical technique of rotator cuff repair with medialization of the footprint combined with a balloon spacer insertion.

Medialized Rip-Stop Convergence Technique for Retracted Rotator Cuff Tears

Attempts to restore the anatomical footprint during rotator cuff repair for retracted, relatively immobile tears can be difficult. In some cases, it can lead to excessive tension of the repair. Previous studies have noted improved clinical outcomes when repair tension is not excessive, and medialization of the anatomical footprint has been suggested as a technique that can help surgeons repair large, retracted tears without excessive tension and achieve improved clinical outcomes. Of note, excessive tension when restoring the rotator cuff tendon to the anatomical footprint is not limited to large, retracted tears. In some cases, restoring small- and medium-sized tears to the anatomical footprint also can lead to excessive tension. Therefore, it is not uncommon for the authors to employ some degree of footprint medialization even for repair of small- or medium-sized tears if repair to the anatomical footprint will lead to excess tension. The purpose of this article and video demonstration is to provide instruction for a reproducible rotator cuff technique using a medialized single-row rip-stop construct combined with convergence.

Medialized rotator cuff repair for retracted, massive, postero superior tears: Clinical and radiological outcomes

INTRODUCTION

The footprint medialization allows a tension free repair in severely retracted rotator cuff tears (RCT), thereby de-creasing the rate of retear. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological results in a cohort of chronic RCT treated with medialized repair. Secondary purpose was to analyze the impact of medialization length on shoulder function and tendon healing.

HYPOTHESIS

It was hypothesized that the medialization length would have an impact on clinical and radiological outcome.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A consecutive series of thirty patients that underwent arthroscopic repair of a massive posterosuperior RCT at a single institution were retrospectively studied at mean follow-up 18.4months (SD 15.3; range 9-58). The medialization of the medial footprint was measured intraoperatively. Preoperative and postoperative examination included active range of motion, abduction strength, pain assessment, and functional scores. The postoperative rotator cuff integrity was evaluated according to the Sugaya's classification. Types IV-V were categorized as absence of healing.

RESULTS

At final follow-up the clinical outcomes were significantly improved in all patients (p≤0.001) with the exception of external rotation that displayed no significant improvement (p=0.05). In group 1 (n=8) medialization length was≤10mm (mean 8, SD 1.9) and in group 2 (n=14)>10mm (mean 12.6, SD 1.7). There were no significant differences regarding preoperative and postoperative clinical outcomes (p>0.05) between two groups. Group 2 demonstrated moderate correlation between length of medialization and Sugaya stage of tendon healing (r=0.53, p=0.049). Absence of healing was noted in 4/22 patients, 1/8 in group 1 and 3/14 in group 2.

DISCUSSION

Medialized repair is an effective technique for treating chronic, massive and retracted posterosuperior RCT. A medialization of the footprint less than or equal to 10mm is recommended, as it was associated with good clinical and radiological results. The rate of tendon healing decreases when medialization exceeds 10mm.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Arthroscopic Extreme Medialized Repair for Massive Rotator Cuff Tear: Resection of Cartilage and Subchondral Bone Over the Top of the Humeral Head

Rotator cuff repair is a widely performed surgery. Its purpose is to improve shoulder function, fix tendons to bones, restore anatomical structure, and prevent the progression of rotator cuff tear arthropathy and associated muscle degeneration. However, in large and massive tears, the tension imposed during repair becomes too high. Medialized repairs have been reported for cases of rotator cuff tear, but they are difficult to perform. We report on ex-medialization that used common portals and instruments to remove the osteochondral and subchondral bone, reduce humeral head volume, and suture the tendon extremely medially. Compared to a common medialized repair, this procedure reduces tension on the rotator cuff to be sutured. The goal of this technique is to restore functional anatomy, reduce the rate of retear, prevent the progression of rotator cuff muscle atrophy and fatty degeneration, and to improve muscle strength by allowing the repair of rotator cuff tears (Goutallier grade 2 or higher) to the humeral head, which have conventionally been challenging.

Biceps-incorporating rotator cuff repair with footprint medialization in large-to-massive rotator cuff tears

PURPOSE

In large-to-massive rotator cuff tears (MRCTs), incorporating the long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT) with arthroscopic partial rotator cuff and margin convergence can improve clinical outcomes and preserve the acromio-humeral interval (AHI) during mid-term follow-up. The purpose of this study was to evaluate mid-term clinical and radiological outcomes of arthroscopic biceps-incorporating rotator cuff repair with partial release of the LHBT and footprint medialization through the Neviaser portal in MRCTs.

METHODS

This study enrolled 107 patients (38 males and 69 females, mean age: 64.9 ± 8.6 years) with MRCTs. A novel arthroscopic biceps-incorporating repair was performed by footprint medialization, with a partially released biceps tendon covering central defects. Clinical outcomes such as pain VAS, KSS, ASES, UCLA, SST and CS scores and ROM were evaluated at a mean follow-up time of 35 months (range 12-132 months). Serial radiographs with a mean postoperative MRI follow-up duration of 33 months were used to evaluate AHI, tendon integrity, fatty infiltration (FI) and muscle hypotrophy.

RESULTS

Postoperative pain VAS, KSS, ASES, UCLA, SST, and CS scores and ROM (except external rotation) were improved significantly. AHI also improved significantly from 8.6 to 9.3 mm. According to Sugaya's classification, type I, II, III, IV, or V healing status was found in 30 (28.0%), 29 (27.1%), 26 (24.3%), 14 (13.1%), and 8 (7.5%) patients, respectively. The retear rate was 22 (20.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

Novel biceps-incorporating cuff repair with footprint medialization yielded satisfactory outcomes in MRCT patients at the 3-year follow-up. A partially released, repaired biceps tendon provided superior stability with preserved AHI similar to that of anterior cable reconstruction.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

Re-tears after rotator cuff repair: Current concepts review

Re-tear following rotator cuff repair is common and has been reported to range from between 13 and 94% despite satisfactory clinical outcomes following rotator cuff surgery. Various risk factors have been associated with an increased tear rate, including patient factors, tear and shoulder morphology, repair technique, and rehabilitation regimes. Different modes of rotator cuff failure have been described. The management of re-tear in patients following rotator cuff repair is challenging and depends on the age, functional status and requirements of the patient, and re-tear size and residual tendon length. This article aims to review the factors associated with rotator cuff re-tear. It describes which of these are associated with poor clinical outcomes, and discusses the long-term outcomes of re-tear and treatment options.

Effectiveness of measuring tension during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair

Purpose

Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) for relatively small rotator cuff tears (RCTs) has shown promising results; however, such surgery for larger tears often results in failure and poor clinical outcomes. One cause of failure is over-tension at the repair site that will be covered with the tendon stump. Reports on the clinical outcomes using ARCR with tension ≤ 30 N are lacking. This study aimed to evaluate ARCR outcomes and failure rates using less tension (30 N) and to assess the prognostic factors for failure.

Methods

Our study group comprised of 118 patients who underwent ARCR for full-thickness RCTs with full tendon stump coverage of the footprint with a tension of ≤ 30 N, measured using a tension meter; no additional procedures, such as margin convergence or footprint medialisation, were performed. The failure rate was calculated, and the prognostic factor for failure was assessed using multivariate regression analyses.

Results

There were seven cases of failure in the study group. Postoperatively, flexion and internal rotation ranges of motion, acromiohumeral interval, muscle strength, and clinical results improved significantly. Using multivariate regression analyses, intraoperative concomitant subscapularis tendon lesion and pre-operative infraspinatus tendon retraction, assessed using radial-sequence magnetic resonance imaging, were significantly correlated with post-ARCR failure using less tension (p = 0.030 and p = 0.031, respectively).

Conclusion

ARCR is likely to succeed for RCTs that can be extracted using tension ≤ 30 N. However, cases with more severe subscapularis tendon lesions and those with high infraspinatus tendon retraction may show surgical failure.

Level of evidence

LEVEL IV Retrospective case series

Non-anatomic arthroscopic repair of massive rotator cuff tears versus anatomic complete arthroscopic repair: a case-control study

PURPOSE

To investigate whether a non-anatomic arthroscopic repair of massive rotator cuff tear (RCT) produces satisfactory clinical outcomes comparable to those of an anatomic complete arthroscopic repair.

METHODS

A retrospective case-control study (prospectively collected data, mean follow-up: 32.7 months ± 29.5; range 12-80 months) was conducted with patients with massive RCT who underwent either an anatomic complete arthroscopic repair (group A: 34 patients) or a non-anatomic arthroscopic repair (partial repair or medialized repair, group B: 30 patients). The rate of success was calculated primarily by the number of patients per group who achieved a minimal clinically important difference between the preoperative and postoperative values of (a) the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Shoulder Score, (b) the constant score and (c) secondarily, the visual analogue scale (VAS-pain). Active range of motion (shoulder forward flexion, abduction, external rotation in 0° and 90° abduction), muscle strength and external rotation lag sign were also assessed.

RESULTS

No significant statistical differences amongst groups were found concerning the baseline demographic and clinical characteristics. All postoperative clinical and functional scores were significantly improved in both groups (p < 0.001). According to our primary and secondary success rate criteria, both treatments were found to be successful, whereas there was no significant difference amongst them.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-anatomic arthroscopic repair of massive RCT illustrated satisfactory outcomes, which are not significantly different from those reported after an anatomic complete arthroscopic repair.

Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair: magnetic resonance arthrogram assessment of tendon healing

BACKGROUND

Many poor outcomes after arthroscopic rotator cuff (RC) repair relate to failure of tendon healing. The purposes of this study were to provide a better understanding of the magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) characteristics of the RC tendon repair site after arthroscopic RC repair and to examine how these findings influence patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and the presence of persistent symptoms.

METHODS

We reviewed 48 shoulders (13 female and 35 male patients; average age, 53.8 years) at a minimum of 6 months (average, 11.4 months) after arthroscopic RC repair (average tear size, 2.2 cm). All patients completed PROMs and underwent MRA assessment. Detailed analysis of the RC repair site was undertaken, with findings correlated with clinical outcomes and PROMs.

RESULTS

The average preoperative American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score of 39.5 improved to 92.8 (P < .001). All but 6 patients (87.5%) had increased signal intensity of the involved tendon, with interstitial splits and/or delamination in 65.6%. These changes had no effect on PROMs or patient satisfaction. Significant partial-thickness tears (>50%) were observed in 7 patients (14.6%), with no effect on outcomes (average ASES score of 95.2 and satisfaction score of 9). There were 2 recurrent full-thickness tears (4.2%), and 4 patients (8.3%) had a failure in continuity. The average ASES score in these 6 cases of failure was 76 (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Structural abnormalities on MRA are common after RC repair but do not always result in clinical failure. However, our results suggest that an ASES score of less than 80 may be useful when considering postoperative imaging, especially in a patient with ongoing pain more than 6 months after surgery.

Editorial Commentary: Start Medializing More! An Option to Treat Chronic Retracted Rotator Cuff Tears

The results after repair of chronic retracted rotator cuff tears are similar whether or not the repair is medialized. Medializing appears to be a valid alternative to neglect and superior capsular reconstruction in the toolbox of the shoulder surgeon.