title: Articular-sided rotator cuff tears: which is the best repair? A three-year prospective randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare two groups of patients who underwent two different arthroscopic procedures for repair of articular-sided partial-thickness rotator cuff tears (PTRCTs).
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a comparative prospective study of two methods for repair of partial cuff tears: Thirty-two patients underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with a transtendon technique (group 1); 28 underwent arthroscopic full-thickness conversion and repair of the lesion (group 2). ROM measures, clinical findings, MRI features (tendon healing and re-tear), Constant-Murley and ASES scores were assessed pre- and postoperatively and compared. Patients were also asked about return to sport and level of activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the last appointment, patients of both the groups were significantly improved for clinical findings, ROM measures, imaging features, Constant-Murley and ASES scores than at baseline, without any significant inter-group difference. In group 1, 15 of 20 patients (75 %) who practiced recreational sport activities had returned to sport at the same level as before the onset of symptoms, without any discomfort. In group 2, 12 of 18 patients (67 %) had returned to the same level of sport activity they practiced before symptoms. At the last follow up, MRI showed rotator cuff healing in 31 patients of Group 1 and 27 patients of Group 2 (p = 0.83).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The two procedures are safe, effective, and comparable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Biomedico University of Rome, Via Alvaro del Portillo, Rome, Italy. f.franceschi@unicampus.it
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Franceschi
authors.forename: Rocco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Papalia
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Buono
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vasta
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maffulli
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Denaro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D000070599:Shoulder Injuries; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology