title: Arthroscopic repair of large U-shaped rotator cuff tears without margin convergence versus repair of crescent- or L-shaped tears.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For large-sized tears of the rotator cuff, data according to the tear shape have not yet been reported for repair methodology, configuration, and subsequent integrity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The retear rate after the repair of large mobile tears, such as crescent- or L-shaped tears, is believed to be lower compared with retear rates after the repair of large U-shaped tears that are accompanied by anterior or posterior leaves of the rotator cuff.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected and analyzed from 95 consecutive patients with a large-sized rotator cuff tear who underwent arthroscopic suture-bridge repair. Patients were divided into 2 groups: those having crescent- or L-shaped tears (mobile tear group, 53 patients) and those having U-shaped tears (U-shaped tear group, 42 patients). The integrity of the repaired constructs was determined by ultrasonography at 4.5, 12, and 24 months. Moreover, clinical evaluations were performed by using the Constant score, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and muscle strength at intervals of 3, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On ultrasonography at 4.5, 12, and 24 months, a retear was detected in 6, 2, and 1 patients in the mobile tear group and in 5, 2, and 1 patients in the U-shaped tear group, respectively. Significant differences in retear rates were not detected between the groups overall or at each time point. Moreover, clinical scores were similar between groups, except for the presence of a temporarily higher Constant score at 12 months in the mobile tear group. With regard to shoulder strength, between-group comparisons indicated no statistically significant difference, either in abduction or external rotation, except for the presence of temporarily higher external rotation strength at 3 months in the mobile tear group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Arthroscopic repair of large-sized rotator cuff tears yielded substantial improvements in shoulder function, regardless of tear retraction, during midterm follow-up. Moreover, the findings did not indicate significant differences in retear rates between the repair of crescent- or L-shaped tears and that of U-shaped tears either overall or at a particular time point.
authors.affiliation: Kyung-Soo Oh, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Konkuk University Hospital, 4-12, Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, Korea. orthopaedics11@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jin-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seok Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Seung-Hyub
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Hyoung-Weon
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Jin-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Kyung-Soo
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D012421:Rupture / Q000601:surgery; D013536:Suture Techniques; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing
keywords: integrity; large-sized tear; repair configuration; rotator cuff tear