The aim of this presentation is to discuss the current literature and opinions on the biomechanics of the rotator cuff and relate this to the clinical relevance in rotator cuff tears. I intend to cover: Relate Biomechanics to Clinical Relevance 1. Cuff Mechanics 2. Tendon Anatomy – layers, microanatomy, blood supply 3. Pathomechanics of cuff tears The shoulder complex comprises 30 muscles. Thes...

BACKGROUND The purpose of this prospective study was to examine the progression of fatty muscle degeneration over time in asymptomatic shoulders with degenerative rotator cuff tears. METHODS Subjects with an asymptomatic rotator cuff tear in 1 shoulder and pain due to rotator cuff disease in the contralateral shoulder were enrolled in a prospective cohort. Subjects were followed annually with...

Rotator cuff disease is the most common condition affecting the shoulder, causing significant pain and functional impairment in the adult population. Improvements in arthroscopic instrumentation and suture anchor technology have allowed the development of stronger constructs with multiple suture configurations, allowing repair of large and massive tears through minimally invasive means. However...

The management of massive rotator cuff tears in medically unfit, elderly patients is difficult. We prospectively assessed 17 patients with radiologically confirmed, nontraumatic, massive rotator cuff tears who were treated with an anterior deltoid rehabilitation program. All patients were medically unfit, with an average age of 80 years (range, 70-96 years). Patients were given standard detaile...

BACKGROUND Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is one of the serious complications after surgical treatment of a rotator cuff tear. Both a measurement of body surface temperature and bone scintigraphy have been used as diagnostic tools for the early phase of CRPS.Unfortunately, few studies have been carried out that applied these methods to the patients after rotator cuff repair. PURPOSES T...

INTRODUCTION Shoulder pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint in the general population. Bone marrow concentrate (BMC) injections offer promising potential as a minimally invasive approach for treatment of shoulder pain in degenerative disease. In this study, we investigated the clinical outcomes of the BMC injections for treatment of shoulder pain and disability due to osteoarthritis (OA) a...

Strangulation around cuff tissue is a possible cause of retear after rotator cuff repair. Therefore, tendon healing ideally requires changes in suture tension over the cuff tissue in accord with rotator cuff muscle activity. The authors present a type of fixation that mimics the mechanism of the Chinese finger trap. The devised knot-free tendon trap technique resembles the double-pulley-suture ...

BACKGROUND To evaluate the accuracy of high resolution ultrasound (USG) and MRI in the diagnosis of rotator cuff tears (RCT) and to determine if high resolution USG compares favorably in sensitivity and specificity to MRI in the diagnosis of rotator cuff injury. MATERIAL/METHODS In this prospective comparative study, 40 patients with clinically suspected rotator cuff tears underwent both ultr...

Volume 7 • Number 1 of 2 • 2001 Orthopedic Special Edition 25 R otator cuff tears can be effectively treated with acromioplasty and stable repair of the tendon to the tuberosity of the humerus. Rotator cuff surgery reliably decreases pain, and improves motion and function as well as the general health status of the patient. The operative approach for rotator cuff repairs has evolved from the cl...