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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy
Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy 10/2019

01-10-2019 | Painful Arc | Shoulder

An intact subscapularis tendon and compensatory teres minor hypertrophy yield lower failure rates for non-operative treatment of irreparable, massive rotator cuff tears

Authors: Tae-Hwan Yoon, Sung-Jae Kim, Chong-Hyuk Choi, Soon-Phil Yoon, Yong-Min Chun

Published in: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy | Issue 10/2019

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate whether subscapularis integrity and compensatory teres, minor hypertrophy is associated with maintaining relatively good function and tolerable pain levels during non-operative treatment.

Methods

This study included 108 patients with irreparable, massive rotator cuff tears involving at least two tendons and stage III or IV muscle hypotrophy and fatty infiltration on oblique sagittal magnetic resonance imaging, in which even a partial repair does not seem feasible. All supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles were grade IV; if the subscapularis was involved, only stage III or IV was included. Patients were divided into two groups: group A consisted of 67 patients with both an intact subscapularis and teres minor hypertrophy; group B consisted of 41 patients lacking either one or both. The Visual Analogue Scale pain score, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, the University of California at Los Angeles shoulder score, and active range of motion (ROM) were assessed.

Results

During the follow-up period, failure of non-operative treatment was found in 29 (43%) patients in group A and 28 (68%) in group B (p = 0.012). Conversion to surgery was noted in 26 (39%) patients in group A and 27 (66%) in group B (p = 0.006). Among the remaining nonsurgical patients, there were no significant differences in clinical outcomes between the groups except ROM in internal rotation at final follow-up.

Conclusions

Although conservative treatment was not always successful in patients with irreparable, massive cuff tears, patients with both an intact subscapularis tendon, and teres minor hypertrophy experienced significantly lower incidences of failure and conversion to surgery, since force couple is maintained in the setting of minimal arthritis.

Level of evidence

III.
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Metadata
Title
An intact subscapularis tendon and compensatory teres minor hypertrophy yield lower failure rates for non-operative treatment of irreparable, massive rotator cuff tears
Authors
Tae-Hwan Yoon
Sung-Jae Kim
Chong-Hyuk Choi
Soon-Phil Yoon
Yong-Min Chun
Publication date
01-10-2019
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keyword
Painful Arc
Published in
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy / Issue 10/2019
Print ISSN: 0942-2056
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7347
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-019-05403-8

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