title: Arthroscopic suprascapular neurotomy for the painful irreparable rotator cuff tear.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Massive irreparable rotator cuff tears are becoming increasingly difficult to manage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were considered for treatment if they had a painful shoulder in the presence of a compensated cuff tear. All patients had radiological evidence of a massive irreparable cuff tear and underwent suprascapular neurotomy, arthroscopically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 15 males and 25 females with a mean age of 74 years (range 59 years to 88 years). The mean pre-operative Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS) in all patients was 17.7, with a mean pre-operative visual analogue score (VAS) of 8.0. The mean post-operative OSS was 30.8 [27.42-34.18 = confidence interval (CI) 95%] with a mean VAS of 3.6 (2.64-4.56 CI 95%) at the 3-month (short-term) period (n = 32). The medium-term (1-year) OSS and VAS had improved to 33.6 (32.27-34.93 = CI 95%) and 3.7 (0-8.39 CI 95%) respectively (n = 26). The difference pre- and postoperatively at 12 months was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Patients who underwent biceps tenotomy at the time of surgery had a less significant improvement in their VAS and OSS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Suprascapular neurotomy can afford medium-term benefit in over two-thirds of the patients who would otherwise have undergone reverse polarity shoulder replacements. We consider that this is a reproducible technique.
authors: Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, UK.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Kenyon
authors: Stepping Hill Hospital, Poplar Grove, Stockport, UK.
authors: Iain
authors: I
authors: Mclaughlin-Symon
authors: North Manchester General Hospital, Manchester, UK.
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Heasley
authors: Stepping Hill Hospital, Poplar Grove, Stockport, UK.
authors: Barnes
authors: B
authors: Morgan
authors: Stepping Hill Hospital, Poplar Grove, Stockport, UK.
authors: Matt
authors: M
authors: Ravenscroft
keywords: Arthroscopy; rotator cuff; rotator cuff arthropathy; suprascapular nerve