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Anterior rotator cable disruption does not affect outcomes in rotator cuff tear with subscapularis involvement

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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to compare clinical and radiological outcomes after arthroscopic repair of two different rotator cuff tear configurations: anterosuperior rotator cuff tear and rotator cuff tears with subscapularis involvement. It was hypothesized that, although both tear configurations would show significant improvement in clinical outcomes after arthroscopic repair, the rotator cuff tears with subscapularis involvement where the anterior rotator cable maintains its integrity would have better clinical outcomes and structural integrity.

Methods

This study included 226 patients who underwent arthroscopic repair of anterosuperior rotator cuff tears (n = 107, group A) and rotator cuff tears with subscapularis involvement (n = 119, group B). The visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, subjective shoulder value (SSV), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder score, and active range of motion (ROM) were assessed. Modified belly press test was performed to assess the strength of the subscapularis muscle. Cuff integrity was evaluated using magnetic resonance arthrography or computed tomographic arthrography at 6 months after operation.

Results

At 3-year follow-up, the VAS score, SSVs, ASES scores, UCLA shoulder scores, active ROM, and modified belly press test showed significant improvement in both groups (p < 0.001). However, these improvements showed no statistical significance between the two groups. On follow-up radiologic evaluations, no significant difference in re-tear rates between group A (25 of 107, 23.4%) and group B (23 of 119, 19.3%) was observed.

Conclusions

The presence of anterior cable involvement of the anterosuperior rotator cuff tear did not affect postoperative clinical outcomes and re-tear rate compared to rotator cuff tears with subscapularis involvement where the anterior cable integrity was maintained, although the anterosuperior rotator cuff tear was associated with more significant preoperative supraspinatus fatty infiltration. Therefore, the present study determined that it would not be necessary to differentiate treatment protocols between these patterns.

Level of evidence

Level III

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Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Arthroscopy and Joint Research Institute, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, CPO Box 8044, Seoul, 03722, Korea

    Tae-Hwan Yoon, Sung-Jae Kim, Yun-Rak Choi, Ju-Cheol Shin, Sager-Holyl Alruwaili & Yong-Min Chun

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  1. Tae-Hwan Yoon
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  2. Sung-Jae Kim
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Correspondence to Yong-Min Chun.

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All the procedures performed in the study were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Yoon, TH., Kim, SJ., Choi, YR. et al. Anterior rotator cable disruption does not affect outcomes in rotator cuff tear with subscapularis involvement. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 29, 154–161 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-020-05891-z

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