title: A new arthroscopic classification of articular-sided supraspinatus footprint lesions: a prospective comparison with Snyder's and Ellman's classification.
abstract: The aim of this study was to find a descriptive rationale to quantify articular-sided supraspinatus tendon tears in the transverse and coronal planes, leading to a 2-dimensional description of the tear pattern. Fifty-six consecutive patients with articular-sided, symptomatic supraspinatus tendon tears diagnosed clinically and by magnetic resonance imaging underwent standardized diagnostic arthroscopy. Intra-articular findings of the rotator cuff were classified according to Ellman and Snyder. In addition, the longitudinal tear was assessed according to the length of the peeled-off bony footprint in the coronal plane. The sagittal tear extension was defined as a tear of the lateral reflection pulley on the medial border of the supraspinatus tendon and/or a tear in the area of the crescent zone. Statistically, we found a high correlation (r = 0.920, P < .0001) between the classifications of Ellman and Snyder, and we found only a slight correlation between the classifications of Snyder and Ellman with this new classification. Neither the classification of Snyder nor that of Ellman reproduced the extension of the partial-thickness rotator cuff tear in the transverse and coronal planes related to its etiologic pathomorphology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, ATOS Clinic, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Habermeyer
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Krieter
authors.forename: Kang-lai
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lichtenberg
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Magosch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000145:classification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D012421:Rupture