title: A biomechanical comparison of transosseous-suture anchor and suture bridge rotator cuff repairs in cadavers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several biomechanical studies comparing open and arthroscopic rotator cuff repair methods have shown inferior performance of arthroscopic repairs. Suture anchor-augmented transosseous repairs and suture bridge repairs have shown superior biomechanical performance when compared with other methods, but these 2 repair methods have not been directly compared.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  There will be no difference in the biomechanical performance of the transosseous-suture anchor and suture bridge techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  Controlled laboratory study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight paired cadaveric shoulder specimens (16 specimens) had creation followed by repair of a complete tear of the supraspinatus, with the first member of each pair undergoing repair by a transosseous-suture anchor technique and the second member undergoing repair by the suture bridge technique. Specimens were then cycled from 10 to 180 N for 200 cycles, followed by testing to failure at 33 mm/s. Elongation was measured during cyclic testing, and failure load and stiffness were obtained during load-to-failure testing. Failure method was recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between transosseous-suture anchor repairs and suture bridge repairs for elongation (4.0 +/- 1.60 mm vs 3.5 +/- 1.1 mm, P = .31), failure load (408 +/- 93 N vs 419 +/- 62 N, P = .70), or stiffness (58 +/- 10 N/mm vs 58 +/- 14 N/mm, P = .94). The most common mode of failure with each method was suture cutting through tendon.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The suture bridge repair exhibited similar biomechanical performance during cyclic and load-to-failure testing as a transosseous-suture anchor repair, which historically has been performed in open or mini-open fashion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs can be performed that are as strong as open or mini-open repairs.
authors: University at Buffalo, Department of Orthopaedics, Buffalo, New York, USA. klbisson@aol.com
authors: Leslie J
authors: LJ
authors: Bisson
authors: Leslie M
authors: LM
authors: Manohar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001182:Arthroscopy; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000601:surgery*; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D053441:Suture Anchors; D016474:Weight-Bearing