• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.79-87
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• 2024

Rotator cuff disease is a common cause of shoulder pain for which partial-thickness rotator cuff tears occupy a significant proportion. Such tears are often difficult to diagnose and manage in the general clinic setting. A review of the available literature from well-known databases was performed in this study to provide a concise overview of partial-thickness rotator cuff tears to aid physicians in their understanding and management.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.209-217
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• 2014

Most studies on the pathophysiology, natural history, diagnosis by imaging and outcomes after operative or nonoperative treatment of rotator cuff tear have focused on those of full-thickness tears, resulting in limited knowledge of partial-thickness rotator cuff tears. However, a partial-thickness tear of the rotator cuff is a common disorder and can be the cause of persistent pain and dysfunction of the shoulder joint in the affected patients. Recent updates in the literatures shows that the partial-thickness tears are not merely mild form of full-thickness tears. Over the last decades, an improved knowledge of pathophysiology and surgical techniques of partial-thickness tears has led to more understanding of the significance of this tear and better outcomes. In this review, we discuss the current concept of management for partial-thickness tears in terms of the pathogenesis, natural history, nonoperative treatment, and surgical outcomes associated with the commonly used repair techniques.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.44-47
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• 2014

Typically, massive rotator cuff tears have stiff and retracted tendon with poor muscle quality, in such cases orthopaedic surgeons are confronted with big challenging to restore the cuff to its native footprint. Furthermore, even with some restoration of the footprint, it is related with a high re-tear rate due to less tension free repair and less tendon coverage. In this tough circumstance, the partial repair has yielded satisfactory outcomes at relatively short follow-up by re-creating the transverse force couple of the rotator cuff. Through this partial repair, the massive rotator cuff tear can be converted to the "functional rotator cuff tear" and provide improvement in pain and functional outcomes in patient's shoulder.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.69-73
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• 2011

Although the incidence of partial-thickness rotator cuff tears (PTRCTs) was reported to be from 13% to 32% in cadaveric studies, the actual incidence is not yet known. The causes of PTRCTs can be explained by either extrinsic or intrinsic theories. Studies suggest that intrinsic degeneration within the rotator cuff is the principal factor in the pathogenesis of rotator cuff tears. Extrinsic causes include subacromial impingement, acute traumatic events, and repetitive microtrauma. However, acromially initiated rotator cuff pathology does not occur and extrinsic impingement does not cause pathology on the articular side of the tendon. An arthroscopic classification system has been developed based on the location and depth of the tear. These include the articular, bursal, and intratendinous areas. Both ultrasound and magnetic resonance image are reported with a high accuracy of 87%. Conservative treatment, such as subacromial or intra-articular injections and suprascapular nerve block with or without block of the articular branches of the circumflex nerve, should be considered prior to operative treatment for PTRCTs.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of MR arthrography to detect partial thickness rotator cuff tears. Materials and Methods: One hundred and seventy seven patients with a high suspicion for rotator cuff disease were studied by performing MR-arthrography and subsequent arthroscopy. The ability of MR-arthrography to detect partial thickness tears was evaluated according to the location of the tears. We determined the correspondence between the measurements of the articular side partial tears on MR arthrography and those on the arthroscopic findings. Results: The arthroscopic diagnosis of partial thickness rotator cuff tears was divided into 3 groups according to their location. There were 63 cases on the articular side, 41 cases on the bursal side and 20 cases on both sides. The sensitivity of MR-arthrography was 82% for the articular side tears and 11% for the bursal tears. The specificity was 88% for the articular side tears and 100% for the bursal tears. MR-arthrographic measurement correctly predicted 72% in 28 repaired cases of 56 articular side partial thickness tears. Conclusions: MR-arthrography may be a reliable tool for diagnosing articular side partial thickness rotator cuff tears, but it has limitations for bursal side tears.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.6
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• pp.1366-1387
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• 2021

The interpretation of MRI of partial-thickness rotator cuff tears can be challenging. This review describes the anatomic considerations for diagnosing partial-thickness tears, especially supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendon and summarizes the classification of partial-thickness rotator cuff tears, as well as provides an overview on partial-thickness tears with delamination.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.145-150
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• 2014

In the patients of retracted massive rotator cuff tears, there are much of difficulty to functional recovery and pain relief. Nevertheless the development of treatment, there are still debates of the best treatments in the massive rotator cuff tears. Recenlty various of treatments are introduced; these are acromioplasty with debridement, biceps tenotomy, great tuberoplasty with biceps tenotomy, partial repair, mini-open rotator cuff repair, arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, soft tissue augmentation, tendon transfer, flap, hemiarthroplasty, and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. That there is no difference of result for reverse total shoulder arthroplasty between patients who have massive rotator cuff tear without arthritis and patients who have cuff tear arthropathy. Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty is one of reliable and successful treatment options for massive rotator cuff tear. Especially it is more effective for patients who have a pseudoparalysis.

• Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.93-97
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• 2004

Continued research needs to be devoted to understanding the natural history of rotator cuff tears. Recent studies have shown progression of tear, symptomatic flare-ups and irreversible change in rotator cuffs managed nonsurgically. These data allow the grouping of patients with rotator cuff tears into three categories based on risk-benefit ratios. Nonsurgical care should be maximized for patients with impingement symptoms only, with partial-thickness tears, with chronic tears, and for the elderly patients. The proper selection of candidates for nonsurgical management should lead to the high success rate quoted by multiple authors. Even though conservative treatment is necessary, early surgery should be considered for tears that are acute, small or medium, associated with shoulder loss of function, or occur in a younger patient. Prolonged nonsurgical care in these patients risks tear propagation and irreversible changes to the cuff, which may complicate rotator cuff repair.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.120-125
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• 1999

Objectives : To evaluate the effects of arthroscopic acromioplasty and debridement for partial thickness articular side rotator cuff tears, Method: We divided 97 patients into 2 groups according to treatment protocol, with both groups having confirmed intra-articular partial tears of the rotator cuff. In group Ⅰ, we debrided the frayed and fibrotic cuff margin while in group II, we performed subacromial decompression in addition to debridement. After the surgery we checked all the patients with the modified UCLA shoulder rating scale. Results: The follow-up observation 12 months after surgery revealed that 44 patients in group I were rated as excellent in 32 cases, good in 10 cases, fair in 1 case, and poor in one case, while 53 patients in group II, were rated as excellent in 38 cases, good in 17 cases, and fair in 2 cases. Twenty-four month after surgery we observed that patients in group I were rated as excellent in 23 cases, good in 16 cases, fair in 4 cases, and poor in 1 case, while patients in group II were rated as excellent in 34 cases, good in 17 cases, and fair in 6 cases. Conclusion: The use of acromioplasty on partial thickness tears of rotator cuff, even in the cases of intra-articular nature, is preferable to the procedure performed without it.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.212-219
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• 2009

Medially retracted large-sized rotator cuff tears includes large-sized tears, massive tears and irreparable tears. Generally arthroscopic repair or open repair of rotator cuff tears is used in reparable tears. However, arthroscopic repair requires long period practice and endurance. In irreparable tears, arthroscopic debridement, partial repair, latissimus dorsi transfer and retrograde arthroplasty can be the option. Arthoscopic debridement gives temporal relief who experienced improvement in pain and increase in range of motion after subacromial local anesthetic injection. Also arthroscopic partial repair gives good results in irreparable cases, especially in suprascapular nerve traction neurapraxia. Tendon transfer can be used in mild to moderate muscle weakness in shoulder abduction for long term treatment. Pectoralis major transfer can be used in anterosupeior tears and latissimus dorsi transfer can be used in posterosuperior tears. Reverse shoulder prosthesis is used in extreamly weakened shoulder pseudoparalysis. The authors discussed the method of arthroscopic repair in irreparable tears. The debridement, partial repair, and tendon transfer could be used in medially retracted large-sized rotator cuff tears.