title: Calcific tendonitis of the shoulder: is subacromial decompression in combination with removal of the calcific deposit beneficial?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We postulated that treatment of patients with calcific tendonitis of the supraspinatus tendon by debridement of the calcific deposit alone was comparable to treatment by debridement and concomitant subacromial decompression.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a 10-year period, 50 consecutive patients with calcific tendonitis refractory to nonoperative measures were surgically treated by debridement (D) as an isolated procedure (25 patients) or by debridement and concomitant subacromial decompression (D+SAD; 25 patients), and the surgical groups were retrospectively compared. The main outcome of interest was the time to resumption of unrestricted activity without pain. An abbreviated version of disabilities of the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) score and University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder summary scores were compiled at a mean follow-up of 5 years (range, 2-10 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average time to return to activity without pain was significantly shorter for the D group compared with the D+SAD group (11 vs 18 weeks; P < .006). At the final evaluation, QuickDASH scores were equally low (group D, 6; group D + SAD, 11; P = .191), indicating that both treatment groups had high levels of function. The mean UCLA shoulder scores at final evaluation were 33 for both groups (P = .678).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients treated by debridement of the calcific deposit and concomitant subacromial decompression required a longer time to return to unrestricted activity without pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Debridement of a calcific deposit alone is a better surgical option to treat calcific tendonitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California-Davis, Sacramento, CA 95816, USA. richard.marder@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Marder
authors.forename: Eric A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Heiden
authors.forename: Sunny
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001182:Arthroscopy; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003646:Debridement / Q000379:methods; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017006:Rotator Cuff; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*