INTRODUCTION Rotator cuff injuries are common, with approximately 400,000 cuff repairs performed each year in the United States alone. Surgical repair of torn cuff tendons involves reattachment of the torn end of the tendon to the original footprint on the proximal humerus, typically using suture anchors. In recent years, suture anchors have evolved into knotless systems, which are designed to ...

Recent studies have reported that massive rotator cuff tears do not heal as predictably as, and may have diminished clinical outcomes compared with, smaller rotator cuff tears. An improved understanding of the biologic degeneration and the biomechanical alterations of massive rotator cuff tears should provide better strategies to optimize outcomes. The approach to patients with massive rotator ...

Background/aim Exercise imparts a load on tendon tissue that leads to changes in tendon properties. Studies suggest that loading immediately reduces tendon thickness, with a loss of this response in symptomatic tendinopathy. No studies investigating the response of tendon dimensions to load for the rotator cuff tendons exist. This study aimed to examine the short-term effect of loading on the t...

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to provide preliminary measures of the distance between the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and subscapularis footprints and the acromion, coracoacromial ligament, and coracoid process, during dynamic arm elevations through the entire range-of-motion. METHODS Two healthy men performed maximum adduction, flexion, abduction, and extension with the arm in...

Age-related localised deposition of amyloid in connective tissue has been found in degenerative articular and periarticular tissue. Biopsies of the supraspinatus tendon of 28 patients undergoing repair of the rotator cuff were analysed histologically for the presence of localised deposition of amyloid. There was a long history of impingement in 20 patients, and eight patients had suffered an ac...

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation critical shoulder angle (CSA) in rotator cuff arthropathy patients with number damaged tendons and muscle fatty degeneration. Rotator were included study. True antero-posterior radiographs (Grashey view) used measure by first author. angles measured on radiographs. Magnetic resonance images (MRI) same assessed terms tendon involvements de...

BACKGROUND The optimal platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for treatment of supraspinatus tendinopathy has not been determined. PURPOSE To evaluate the effect of low- versus high-leukocyte concentrated PRP products on catabolic and anabolic mediators of matrix metabolism in diseased rotator cuff tendons. STUDY DESIGN Controlled laboratory study. METHODS Diseased supraspinatus tendons were treated ...

Failed rotator cuff repair may be caused by surgical complications, diagnostic errors, technical errors, failure to heal, and traumatic failure. Revision rotator cuff repair is made technically more difficult by poor tissue quality, tissue adhesions, and retained suture and suture anchor material. Historically, open revision rotator cuff repair yields inferior results compared with primary rota...

BACKGROUND Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has long been considered a perfect imaging study for evaluation of shoulder pathologies despite occasional discrepancies between MR reports and arthroscopic findings. In this study we aim to evaluate impact of imaging center as an indicator of image quality on accuracy of MRI reports in diagnosis of rotator cuff tendon pathologies. METHODS We review...