title: Double row repair: is it worth the hassle?
abstract: In the operative management of rotator cuff disease, comparable functional results have been reported after open or mini-open repair and arthroscopic fixation. Surgical repair aims to re-establish an anatomical configuration of the tendon-bone construct for restoring its mechanical performance. Single row repair is the most commonly used technique, but recently some authors have proposed to re-establish the rotator cuff footprint with 2 rows of suture anchors ("double row" repair). In regard to imaging assessment, at time zero double row repair results being more anatomic and allows for structurally sound restoration of the rotator cuff footprint. However, this does not seem to translate into superior clinical outcomes for the double row repair when evaluating all different sizes of rotator cuff tears as a whole. The scientific basis for recommending single or double row repair as preferred treatment for patients with rotator cuff tear is questionable, as minimal differences have been measured on clinical and functional rating scales.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Biomedico University of Rome, Via Alvaro del Portillo, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Rocco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Papalia
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Franceschi
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Buono
authors.forename: Biagio
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zampogna
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maffulli
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Denaro
mesh_terms: D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000601:surgery*; D053441:Suture Anchors; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D013710:Tendons / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome