Clinical and structural results of open repair of an isolated one-tendon tear of the rotator cuff.
BACKGROUND
The clinical outcomes of open rotator cuff repair are well established, but the structural results and their effect on clinical outcome are poorly known. We assessed the structural changes in the musculotendinous units after open rotator cuff repair and correlated these findings with the clinical outcome to establish a benchmark for future series.


METHODS
Thirty-two consecutive standardized open repairs of a single tendon tear of the rotator cuff were analyzed in twenty-one men and eleven women with an average age of 59.0 years. The supraspinatus tendon was involved in twenty-two patients and the subscapularis tendon, in ten. The clinical outcome, including the Constant score, was assessed prospectively for all patients at an average of thirty-eight months postoperatively. The structural outcome was assessed on standardized magnetic resonance imaging scans.


RESULTS
The mean overall subjective shoulder value was 82.8% of the value for a normal shoulder. On the average, the age and gender-adjusted Constant score increased from 63.9% preoperatively to 94.5% postoperatively (p < 0.0001); the score for pain, from 6.8 points to 13.2 points (p < 0.0001); and the score for activities of daily living, from 11.2 points to 17.9 points (p < 0.0001). The overall rerupture rate was 13% (four of the thirty-two shoulders). All reruptures were distinctly smaller than the original tear. Muscular atrophy or fatty infiltration did not significantly decrease after the tendon repair. In fact, fatty infiltration in the supraspinatus (p < 0.0053) and infraspinatus (p < 0.003) muscles increased significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
Direct open repair of a complete, isolated tear of one tendon of the rotator cuff resulted in significant subjective and objective improvement and very high patient satisfaction. Successful direct repair was not associated with a decrease in preoperative muscular atrophy and was associated with increased fatty infiltration of the muscle.
Fuchs
Bruno
B
Department of Orthopaedics, University of Zurich, Uniklinik Balgrist, Forchstrasse 340, CH-8008 Zurich, Switzerland. bruno.fuchs@balgrist.ch
Gilbart
Michael K
MK
Hodler
Juerg
J
Gerber
Christian
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries