title: High-Grade Articular, Bursal, and Intratendinous Partial-Thickness Rotator Cuff Tears: A Retrospective Study Comparing Functional Outcomes After Completion and Repair.
abstract: We conducted a study to assess the impact of tear location on functional outcomes in high-grade partial-thickness rotator cuff tears (PTRCTs) after arthroscopic completion and repair. Retrospectively, we evaluated the preoperative and postoperative findings of 60 patients who underwent arthroscopic completion and repair of Ellman grade 3 partial-thickness tears of the supraspinatus. The 60 patients were grouped by tear subtype (20 articular, 20 bursal, 20 intratendinous) as identified by preoperative imaging and confirmed at time of surgery. After surgery, the 3 subtypes showed similar significant (P < .001) improvements in American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores (articular, 46.9, 85.1; bursal, 44.3, 80.3; intratendinous, 43.6, 86.1), Constant scores (articular, 54.3, 79.4; bursal, 49.9, 75.0; intratendinous, 56.8, 80.9), and visual analog scale scores (articular, 5.1, 1.2; bursal, 5.8, 1.6; intratendinous, 6.0, 1.2). Our study findings validate use of the current algorithm for Ellman grade 3 PTRCTs of the supraspinatus and advocate their completion and repair, regardless of tear location.
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI. nkdonohue@mcw.edu.
authors.forename: Nicholas K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Donohue
authors.forename: Brian T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Nickel
authors.forename: Steven I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Grindel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*