• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.77-81
• /
• 2009

In patients with full-thickness tears of the rotator cuff, the tendon is usually detached from its bony insertion in the greater or lesser tuberosity. We experienced an unusual pattern of rotator cuff tear in two cases, in which complete rotator cuff tears occurred at the tendinous portion (i.e., intrasubstance tears) with more than a 1cm remnant attached to the greater tuberosity. Arthroscopic tendon-totendon repair was performed without remnant removal in both cases. Follow-up MRI at 6 months showed re-tear of the rotator cuff at the previous tear site in both of our patients. To prove the availability of arthroscopic tendon-to-tendon repair in such cases, a larger case follw-up and biomechanical studies are required.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.8-12
• /
• 2006

회전근 개 파열이 왜 통증을 일으키며 어떤 경우 통증을 일으키는가에 대해 아직도 모르는 부분이 많다. 그러나 생 역학적으로 회전근 개 질환을 이해하고 접근하면 순리적으로 풀어져 나가는 부분도 많다. 회전근 개가 파열되었어도 통증이 미약하다면 수술보다는 적극적인 보존적 치료가 원칙이다. 만약 수술을 하는 경우 고식적인 방법으로 충분한 경험을 쌓은 후 관절경술을 시도하여야 한다. 물론 최근 관절경술로 파열된 회전근 개를 봉합하여 주는 것이 선호되고 있으며 치료 결과 역시 관절경술이 더 좋을 수는 있으나 불안정성과 마찬가지로 전례에서 가능한 것도 아니고 만족한 결과를 모든 정형외과 의사가 공히 얻는 것은 아니다. 특히 회전근 개 봉합술은 고도의 관절경술 수기가 요구되는 것이므로 충분한 연마가 요구된다.

• The Academic Congress of Korean Shoulder and Elbow Society
• /
• 2007.03a
• /
• pp.101-102
• /
• 2007

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.109-114
• /
• 2009

Purpose: This study evaluated the preoperative and postoperative radiologic findings of patients with complete repairs after massive rotator cuff tears along with the incidence of re-tear and the clinical outcomes. Materials and methods: This study evaluated 33 cases who had open complete repairs for massive rotator cuff tears and these patients were followed up for more than 24 months. The clinical evaluation was performed according to the shoulder joint function test of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), and the degree of arthritis related to the massive rotator cuff tears was evaluated using the Hamada classification. Results: The ASES scores improved from 37.6 preoperatively to 85.6 postoperatively. The mean preoperative acromio-humeral interval (AHI) score was 6.5 mm, which increased to 9.3 mm immediately after surgery, and there was a decreased to 6.5 mm noted at the last follow up. The lower radiology stages of arthritis according to the classification showed better preoperative and postoperative results. Conclusion: An open complete repair as the surgical treatment for a massive rotator cuff tear showed satisfactory results for pain relief and an improvement in the shoulder joint function though re-tear after surgery.

• The Academic Congress of Korean Shoulder and Elbow Society
• /
• 2006.03a
• /
• pp.30-30
• /
• 2006

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.24-28
• /
• 2008

Purpose: We wanted to determine if preoperative three dimensional (3D) ultrasonographic evaluation for rotator cuff tear is useful to measure the real size of a torn rotator cuff for performing an operation Materials and Methods: This study included 15 cases (7 males and 8 female), and these patients were confirmed to have a full thickness tear of the rotator cuff by 3D ultrasonography and the operative findings, as well as on the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The average age of the patients was 55.4yrs. Results: The average difference between the 3D ultrasonographic and operative measurements of the full thickness tear of the rotator cuff was 0.7 mm in the transverse length and 2.0 mm in the longitudinal length. Conclusion: The low error between the 3D ultrasonographic and intraoperative measurements of rotator cuff tear shows the usefulness of preoperative 3D ultrasonographic evaluation for rotator cuff tear.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.180-184
• /
• 2008

Purpose: This study evaluated the differences in associated shoulder lesions on complete rotator cuff tear patients regarding ages and gender. Materials and Methods: Between June 2003 and March 2006, 109 patients (59 males, 50 females) who received arthroscopic shoulder surgery for their complete rotator cuff tear were selected and their associated shoulder lesions were analyzed. Ages were between 24 years, the youngest, and 75 years, the oldest. Groups by age were under 59 years group and over 60 years group, and associated lesions of patients to be analyzed were Acromioclavicular arthritis, SLAP(shoulder labrum anterior and posterior) lesion, and biceps tendinitis, and statistic analysis were performed by Khai-square method. Results: For acromioclavicular joint arthritis, over 60 years old group showed higher association rate compared to under 59 years young group, and for SLAP lesions, under 59 years young group showed higher association rate compared to over 60 years old group only in men. Conclusion: For diagnosis and treatment of complete rotator cuff tear patient, associated shoulder lesions in different ages should be considered, especially associations of SLAP lesions in young male patients, and acromioclavicular joint arthritis in old age patients should be verified.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.77-81
• /
• 2008

The goal of rotator cuff repairs is to achieve high initial fixation strength, minimize gap formation, maintain mechanical stability under cyclic loading and optimize the biology of the tendon-bone interface until the cuff heals biologically to the bone. Single row repairs are least successful in restoring the footprint of the rotator cuff and are most susceptible to gap formation. Double row repairs have an improved load to failure and minimal gap formation. Transosseous equivalent repairs (suture bridge technique) have the highest ultimate load and resistance to shear and rotational forces and the lowest gap formation. Even though the superior advantages of double row and transosseous equivalent repairs, those techniques take longer surgical time and are more expensive than single row repairs. Therefore single row repairs can be useful in bursal side partial thickness or small size full thickess rotator cuff tear.

• Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.61-68
• /
• 2011

Purpose: We evaluated the clinical outcome after arthroscopic repair in full thickness rotator cuff tears with and without delamination. Materials and Methods: From March 2006 to October 2008, we included 48 consecutive shoulders (31 males, 17 females; mean age 57.6 years; 45~68) who had arthroscopic double row repair for fullthickness tears of the rotator cuff. Mean rotator cuff tear size was 2.8 cm (range: 1.2~3.6) and the techniques of tendon-to-bone fixation varied according to the presence of delamination; separate row fixations of bursal and articular layer were used in delaminated tear. The mean follow-up was 26 months (range: 18~33) and functional and structural results were evaluated by American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) scale, isokinetic strength testing and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) obtained mean 8 months (range:6~13) postoperatively. The patterns of delamination, age, sex, symptom duration, size of tear, satisfaction rate, retear rate ware compared and significance was set at p values < 0.05. Results: Postoperative functional shoulder score improved significantly in 44 shoulders (91.7%). Delamination was observed in 15 shoulders (31%) and it extended proximally and posteriorly in the majority of shoulders, and the articular layer was thicker (8/15, 53%) and more retracted (9/15, 60%) compared with the superficial bursal layer. Final follow up functional shoulder scores showed no differences between non-delaminated and delaminated tears and the presence of delamination had no correlations with sex, symptom duration, tear size and satisfaction rate, however, older age had more delaminated tears (p=0.041). Follow up MRI in 29 shoulders revealed that fourteen (48%) shoulders had complete healing; nine (31%), partial healing; six (21%), complete retear but the half of the retear group showed favorable clinical results. 79% (15/19) in non-delaminated tear and 80% (8/10) in delaminated tear were judged as healed tendon on MRI and double-layer double row repairs in delaminated tears resulted in nearly same rate of structural integrity of single-layer double row repairs (p=0.165). Conclusion: The incidence of delamination in our series was 31% and older age had more delaminated tears. Sex, symptom duration, preoperative size of the tear, functional results and satisfaction rate had no significant correlations with the presence of delamination. Nearly the same postoperative structural integrity was noted in both delaminated and non-delaminated tears.

• Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.50-57
• /
• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the tendon healing of arthroscopic repair in full-thickness supraspinatus tears. We evaluate the effectiveness of the arthroscopic repair of full-thickness supraspinatus tears by assessing functional improvement. Materials and Methods: Thirty consecutive full-thickness supraspinatus tears were repaired arthroscopically in 19 patients with a one row of anchor and 11 patients with two rows of anchors. Patients ranged in age from 51 to 79 years (average 63 years). Average follow-up was 16 month (range, 12 to 28 months). To evaluate the effectiveness of the arthroscopic repair of full-thickness supraspinatus tears by assessing functional improvement, we calculate the Constant, ASES, UCLA scores. The 30 patients had either an MR Arthrogram (25 cases) or an MRI (5 cases), performed between 5 months and 20 months (mean 10 months) after surgery. Results: The cuff was healed in 21/30 cases (70%) and partially torn in 3 cases (10%) after the arthroscopic repair of full-thickness supraspinatus tear. Although the supraspinatus tendon was totally torn to the tuberosity in 6 cases(20%) after the arthroscopic repair, the size of the tear was smaller than the initial in 5 cases. The Constant score improved from an average of $55.7{\pm}7.1$ points preoperatively to $77.7{\pm}9.7$ points at the last follow-up (p<0.001), and the average ASES score improved from $39.2{\pm}7.4\;to\;72.4{\pm}12.6$ (p<0.001), and the average UCLA score improved from $17.9{\pm}2.2\;to\;26.8{\pm}5.0$ (p<0.001). Strength of elevation was significantly better $(7.1kgs{\pm}2.4)$ in the shoulders with a healed tendon that in those with an total or partial re-tear tendon $(4.5kgs{\pm}1.0)$ (p<0.05). Factors adversely affecting tendon healing were increasing age, Only 41.7% of the repairs completely healed in patients over 65 years (p<0.05). Conclusion: Arthroscopic repair of isolated full-thickness tear of the supraspinatus leads to completely healing in 70% of the cases. Total or partial re-tear of the repaired rotator cuff is associated with a decreased strength. Older patients had significantly lower healing rates.