title: ARTHROSCOPIC REPAIR OF SMALL AND MEDIUM TEARS OF THE SUPRASPINATUS MUSCLE TENDON: EVALUATION OF THE CLINICAL AND FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES AFTER TWO YEARS OF FOLLOW-UP.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical and functional outcomes from arthroscopic repairs on small and medium-sized tears of the supraspinatus muscle tendon.
  
  
  METHODS
  129 cases of isolated small and medium tears of the supraspinatus muscle tendon were evaluated retrospectively. The average duration of pain was 29 months. The average joint range of motion comprised active elevation of 136°, lateral rotation of 58° and medial rotation at T12 level; and the preoperative functional UCLA score averaged 17 points. In all the cases, complete repair could be achieved.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average score on the UCLA functional scale in the postoperative period was 32 points. The average length of follow-up was 39 months. Seventy-five cases (58%) had excellent results and 42 (32%) had good results. The average final active elevation was 156° with an average gain of 20°, and the average final lateral rotation was 57° with an average gain of 9°. Both of these were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The patients who underwent tenotomy of the long head of the biceps (LHB), with or without tenodesis, did not present statistically inferior functional outcomes, in comparison with the patients who only underwent decompression and lesion repair (P = 1.00). Fourteen cases (10.8%) presented complications during the postoperative period. Six (4.6%) developed adhesive capsulitis and four (3.1%) presented re-rupture of the tendon, proven by means of magnetic resonance imaging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Arthroscopic repair of small and medium tears of the supraspinatus muscle tendon provided a functional clinical improvement, with good and excellent results in 90% of the cases.
authors.affiliation: PhD. Professor and Head of the Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic of Hospital Ipiranga; Head of the Shoulder and Elbow Groups of Hospital Ipiranga and of the ABC Medical School, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberto Yukio
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Ikemoto
authors.affiliation: PhD. Professor and Attending Physician in the Shoulder and Elbow Group, ABC Medical School, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murachovsky
authors.affiliation: MSc in Orthopedics; Attending Physician in the Shoulder and Elbow Group, ABC Medical School, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luís Gustavo Prata
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: MSc in Orthopedics; Attending Physician in the Shoulder and Elbow Group, ABC Medical School, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rogério Serpone
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Bueno
authors.affiliation: Attending Physician in the Shoulder and Elbow Group, ABC Medical School, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luis Henrique
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: MSc in Orthopedics; Attending Physician in the Shoulder and Elbow Group, ABC Medical School, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Strose
authors.affiliation: Trainee Physician in Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, ABC Medical School, Santo André, SP, and Hospital Ipiranga, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcello Teixeira
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Castiglia
keywords: Arthroscopy; Rotator Cuff/injuries; Shoulder