title: Assessment of the Postoperative Appearance of the Rotator Cuff Tendon Using Serial Sonography After Arthroscopic Repair of a Rotator Cuff Tear.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate serial changes in sonographic findings of a rotator cuff tendon after rotator cuff repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-five arthroscopically repaired rotator cuff tears (43 full-thickness tears and 22 partial-thickness tears) were retrospectively included in this study. Serial sonographic examinations were performed at 5 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery. The sonographic findings of the repaired tendon were assessed for a recurrent tear, tendon thickness, morphologic tendon characteristics, vascularity, and bursitis at each time point.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four recurrent tears occurred within 3 months of surgery. The postoperative tendon thickness decreased from 5 weeks to 6 months after surgery (P = .001). There were significant changes in the morphologic tendon characteristics, including the echo texture, fibrillar pattern, and surface irregularity of the repaired tendon, from 5 weeks to 6 months after surgery (P < .001). Additionally, subacromial-subdeltoid bursitis and the vascularity of the repaired tendon decreased postoperatively over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serial sonography after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair was useful for monitoring the postoperative changes in a repaired tendon. The morphologic appearance of the repaired tendon and peritendinous soft tissue changes improved over time and nearly normalized within 6 months of surgery.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology (H.J.Y., J.-Y.C., S.H.H., Y.K., J.P.) and Orthopedic Surgery (S.H.K.), Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea; and Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea (H.S.K.).
authors.forename: Hye Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology (H.J.Y., J.-Y.C., S.H.H., Y.K., J.P.) and Orthopedic Surgery (S.H.K.), Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea; and Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea (H.S.K.). drchoi01@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ja-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology (H.J.Y., J.-Y.C., S.H.H., Y.K., J.P.) and Orthopedic Surgery (S.H.K.), Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea; and Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea (H.S.K.).
authors.forename: Sung Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology (H.J.Y., J.-Y.C., S.H.H., Y.K., J.P.) and Orthopedic Surgery (S.H.K.), Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea; and Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea (H.S.K.).
authors.forename: Yusuhn
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology (H.J.Y., J.-Y.C., S.H.H., Y.K., J.P.) and Orthopedic Surgery (S.H.K.), Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea; and Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea (H.S.K.).
authors.forename: Jina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology (H.J.Y., J.-Y.C., S.H.H., Y.K., J.P.) and Orthopedic Surgery (S.H.K.), Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea; and Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea (H.S.K.).
authors.forename: Sae Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology (H.J.Y., J.-Y.C., S.H.H., Y.K., J.P.) and Orthopedic Surgery (S.H.K.), Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea; and Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea (H.S.K.).
authors.forename: Heung Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001182:Arthroscopy; D002062:Bursitis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D013710:Tendons / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014945:Wound Healing
keywords: arthroscopic tendon repair; musculoskeletal ultrasound; rotator cuff; sonography