title: Diagnosis and treatment of rotator cuff tears in the emergency department.
abstract: This article will review the diagnosis and management of rotator cuff tears in the emergency department. Rotator cuff disease is a common source of shoulder pain. It encompasses a wide range of pathology of the rotator cuff tendons. These lesions can include impingement or tendinitis, and may progress to rupture of the tendons. In considering the emergency department management of cuff tears, it is useful to classify patients by the mechanism of their injury. Proper classification of patients requires a careful history and physical examination. Interpretation of these data is based on an understanding of the entire range of pathology that can affect the tendons of the rotator cuff.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Diego 92103-8676, USA.
authors.forename: N F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: SooHoo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rosen
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking; D010808:Physical Examination; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011859:Radiography; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy