background: recurrence rate of rotator cuff tears is still high despite the improvements of surgical techniques, materials used and a better knowledge of the healing process of the rotator cuff tendons. large to massive rotator cuff tears are particularly associated with a high failure rate, especially in elderly. augmentation of rotator cuff repairs with extracellular matrix or synthetic patch...

INTRODUCTION: Physiologic shoulder motion is dependent on a complex balance of forces. In particular, the anterior-posterior (AP) force balance in the shoulder is primarily comprised of the subscapularis and infraspinatus-teres minor complex of the rotator cuff [1]. Massive chronic rotator cuff tears, a common clinical problem, can disrupt this balance and present a management challenge. Moreov...

Background Many patients with rotator cuff tears suffer from nocturnal shoulder pain, resulting in sleep disturbance. Purpose To determine whether rotator cuff tear size correlated with sleep disturbance in patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tears. Study Design Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods Patients with a diagnosis of unilateral full-thickness rotator cuff t...

BACKGROUND The purposes of this study were to identify changes in tear dimensions, shoulder function, and glenohumeral kinematics when an asymptomatic rotator cuff tear becomes painful and to identify characteristics of individuals who develop pain compared with those who remain asymptomatic. METHODS A cohort of 195 subjects with an asymptomatic rotator cuff tear was prospectively monitored f...

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 ...

From a retrospective, cohort study of 205 patients diagnosed with full-thickness tears of the rotator cuff, we determined, using ultrasound, the prevalence of such tears in their 129 siblings. Using 150 spouses as controls, the relative risk of full-thickness tears in siblings versus controls was 2.42 (95% CI 1.77 to 3.31). The relative risk of symptomatic full-thickness tears in siblings versu...

BACKGROUND Structural characteristics of rotator cuff tears are used in surgical decision making. However, data on the association of tear size with patient-reported pain and function are sparse. PURPOSE To assess the association of tear size, fatty infiltration, and muscle atrophy with shoulder pain/function in patients with cuff tears undergoing operative and nonoperative treatment. STUDY...

Anatomic factors, such as a hooked acromion, have been associated with rotator cuff disorders. Orientation of the glenoid relative to the scapula has been implicated in shoulder instability, but it has not been linked to rotator cuff disorders. The purpose of the current study was to test the hypothesis that superior inclination of the glenoid is associated with full-thickness rotator cuff tear...

Purpose: There is currently limited information available in the orthopaedic surgery literature regarding the appropriate management of symptomatic partial-thickness rotator cuff tears. Methods: A systematic search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials of all published literature...

PURPOSE The purposes of this study were (1) to examine whether posterior delamination is hidden to the most commonly used posterior viewing portal compared with differential rotator cuff portals and (2) to observe posterior delamination patterns so that a treatment-based classification system may be proposed. METHODS One-hundred thirty consecutive patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff...