• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.176-180
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• 2006

Purpose: Although surgical arthroscopic repair of rotator cuff has become much more common as surgeons have developed proficient techniques, it is still technically difficult. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical results and the usefulness of mini-open repair in large and massive size tears. Materials & Methods: From January 2000 to December 2004, sixteen patients were treated with mini-open repair. There were 10 male and 6 female patients with the average age of 62.5 years. The size of tear was massive in 4 cases and large in 12 cases. All tears were repaired with metal anchor sutures. The mean duration of follow-up period was 23 months. Postoperative results were evaluated based on American Shoulder and Elbow Society scoring system. Results: Five patients showed excellent results, five good, and two fair in large tears while one patient showed excellent result, one good, and two fair in massive tears. Poor outcome was not seen during the follow-up period. There was no significant relationship between the patient's age and the size of tear, and postoperative results. However, the relationship between the duration of symptomatic period in preoperation and postoperative results showed significant correlation. Conclusion: Mini-open repair combined with the preservation of deltoid and early rehabilitation is clinically useful in large and massive size rotator cuff tear patients treatment.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.83-88
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• 2006

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of arthroscopic decompression and miniopen repair that was related with large and massive sized full thickness rotator cuff tear and assess clinical result. Materials and Methods: Twenthy-nine cases of miniopen repaired full thickness tear of rotator cuffs that arthroscopically decompressed were studied. From October 1998 to December 2004 we have analysed 29 repairs of large and massive sized FTRCT, the average age 44 ($32{\sim}71$) years old, mean follow-up was 34 ($12{\sim}84$) months. We analyzed the results statistically by paired t-test. Results: Postoperative VAS of pain improved average 7.0 to 1.7, UCLA score improved 13.7 to 31.9, ADL improved 11.3 to 25.3 respectively (all, P=0.000). Twenty five cases(82.8%) of the patients showed excellent & good results at the final follow-up. The satisfied rate was 26 cases(89.7%). Conclusions: Arthroscopic decompression and miniopen repair in large and massive sized full thickness rotator cuff tears are effective surgical methods.

• 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.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.137-142
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• 2016

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of suction drain use following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair by comparing early pain score and range of motion (ROM) between groups with and without suction drains. Methods: The study included 153 patients with rotator cuff tears who underwent arthroscopic repairs at our clinic from April 2014 to March 2015. Following surgery, a suction drain was used in 85 patients (group D) and not used in 68 patients (group ND). There was no statistical difference between the groups in terms of age, gender, or total operation time. The clinical outcome with regard to pain (assessed by pain scores and analgesic requests) and passive ROM was assessed preoperatively and postoperatively. Results: Immediate postoperative analgesic requirement was significantly higher in group D (p=0.001), although there was no difference in pain outcomes between the groups during the 3-month follow-up period. A statistically significant difference in passive ROM was observed at the postoperative 2- and 6-week follow-ups (p=0.036, 0.035, and 0.034 in forward elevation (FE), external rotation at the side (ER) and 90 ER at weeks 2, respectively; 0.045 and 0.009 in FE and ER at weeks 6, respectively); however no significant difference was observed at the end of 3 months. During the study period, no complication was reported in either group. Conclusions: Use of suction drains after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair provided little benefit in terms of ROM or pain in the early postoperative period (up to 3 months).

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2022

Background: This study was performed to identify the incidence of screw in-type lateral anchor pull-out in patients older than 60 years who underwent rotator cuff repair for large to massive rotator cuff tear (RCT). Methods: We reviewed 25 patients over 60 who were diagnosed with large to massive RCT and underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair in our hospital from March 2017 to February 2021. Preoperative tear size (anterior to posterior, medial to lateral) was measured via preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). All 25 patients underwent MRI scanning on postoperative day 1 and at 3 months after surgery. The change of anchor position was measured in axial views on MRI images postoperative day 1 and 3 months after surgery. And it was statistically compared according to bone mineral density (BMD), sex, and number of lateral anchors. Results: Two MRIs (postoperative day 1 and 3 months) in 25 patients were compared. Anchor pull-out occurred in six patients during 3 months (6.7%), and the mean pull-out length difference was 1.56 mm (range, 0.16-2.58 mm). There was no significant difference in the number of pull-out anchors, degree of pull-out difference by comparing BMD (A, BMD≤-2.5; B, BMD>-2.5), sex, or number of anchors used in each surgery (C, two anchors; D, three anchors) (p>0.05). Conclusions: Pull-out of screw in-type anchors was rarely observed and the mean pull-out length difference was negligibly small in our study. The screw in-type lateral anchor seems to be a decent option without concern of anchor pull-out even in elderly patients.

• Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2004

Objectives: To assess the functional outcome of Bankart repair and rotator cuff repair using miniopen technique in patients with recurrent shoulder dislocation(8 cases) with rotator cuff tears and Bankart lesion of over 40 years. Materials and Methods: From May 1991 to January 2002, twenty two patients were available to participate in the study. Mean age was 52 years old(41-67), Follow-up evaluations averaged 50.5months(10-147). Results: The patients(22 cases) were divided into two groups. Group 1: with recurrent shoulder dislocation(8 cases) with rotator cuff tears and Bankart lesion in patients over 40 years old. Group 2: without Bankart lesion(14 cases). In Group 1, mean average of forward flexion and abduction improved from 122 degrees to 154 degrees at the final follow-up and from 115 degrees to 161 degrees respectively. In terms of University of Pennsylvania patient self-assessment of pain score and VAS, scores improved from 11.0 to 5.5 and from 5.4 to 2.5 respectively. In terms of UCLA score & Constant score, scores also improved from 20.2 to 29.6 and from 48.6 to 69.0 respectively. Functional outcome of Group 1: two patients with excellent, four patients with good, and two patients with fair. Functional outcome of Group 2: two patients with excellent, six patients with good, five patients with fair, and one patient with poor. But they had no statistical significance between the two groups. All cases were improved shoulder pain at the final follow up. And six patients were satisfied with the outcome of shoulder function. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of Bankart repair and rotator cuff repair using miniopen technique in patients with recurrent shoulder dislocation(8 cases) with tears of rotator cuff and Bankart lesion older than 40 years. We recommend Bankart repair and rotator cuff repair at the same time.

• The Academic Congress of Korean Shoulder and Elbow Society
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• 2007.03a
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• pp.89-89
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• 2007

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.16-24
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was designed to investigate the rate of incidence, location and the clinical value of the rotator cuff retear by analyzing MRI scans, which was taken after an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Materials and Methods: This study included a total of 109 patients, who underwent a shoulder MRI scan after an average of 10.6 months later from the arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. We only defined the 'retear' when the Sugaya type IV and V was observed in the sagittal section of the MRI. The location of the retear was divided into the medial and lateral areas by the site, which was 1 cm medial to the anchor insertion. We investigated the incidence rate and the location of the retear, in terms of the age, sex, initial tear size and the suture method. Also, we compared the functional score of the retear group and the non-retear group, after an average of 13.9 months follow-up. Results: There were 38 of the 109 patients that showed the rotator cuff retear. Of these patients, 25 were male patients, and 13 were female patients. Of the 38 patients with the rotator cuff retear, 21 patients were included in the <3 cm retear group, and 17 were included in the ${\geqq}3$ cm retear group. At the end of the follow up period, all 109 patients showed a statistical significant improvement in the shoulder functional score. Conclusion: According to the follow up of the MRI scan, which was taken after the rotator cuff repair, the retear rate reached 34.9 %, and there were no significant differences on the age and the suture method. More rotator cuff retear occurred in male patients, and the initial tear size was positively correlated with the incidence rate of the rotator cuff retear. Also, the retear was more frequently observed at the medial side. That is because when the suture was performed, excessive tension was loaded on the medial side of the suture site.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.98-102
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• 2004

The terrible triad of the shoulder, a combination of anterior shoulder dislocation, massive rotator cuff tear and neurologic injury, is rare. We experienced 4 patients with this condition who were treated with a rotator cuff repair. The mean age was 65 years. Follow-up averaged 27 months. All patients had a history of redislocation after initial traumatic shoulder dislocation and were evaluated with electromyography and magnetic resonance imaging. At the operation, massive rotator cuff tear and hypertrophy of the long head of the biceps were found in all patients. Clinically, 3 patients achieved recovery of their nerve injury by 3 months postoperatively and the final results were fair. In one patient, there was no recovery of deltoid function and this case was rated as a failure. For this injury pattern, the prognosis appears to be dependent on eventual nerve recovery when the rotator cuff has been repaired early.

• 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.