title: Surgical management of large rotator cuff tears combined with instability in elite rugby football players.
abstract: Large rotator cuff tears are extremely uncommon in young people and when they occur they may be associated with shoulder instability. This paper reports on a series of six elite rugby union and rugby league footballers who presented with shoulder instability and large rotator cuff tears. They were treated with a two stage procedure: an open rotator cuff repair followed by an open shoulder stabilisation some 10 weeks later. All had successful outcomes. The paper also highlights the risk of tearing the rotator cuff when a patient continues to play contact sport with an untreated unstable shoulder.
authors.affiliation: Orthosports Group, Prince of Wales Private Hospital, Westside Private Hospital, Orthopaedic Research Laboratories, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia. gberg@ozemail.com.au
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Best
authors.forename: W J M
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Bruce
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Parry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001178:Arthroplasty / Q000379:methods; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000601:surgery*; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D012783:Shoulder Dislocation / Q000601:surgery*