Dataset Information

Location and initiation of degenerative rotator cuff tears: an analysis of three hundred and sixty shoulders.

ABSTRACT:

Background

It has been theorized that degenerative rotator cuff tears most commonly involve the supraspinatus tendon, initiating at the anterior portion of the supraspinatus insertion and propagating posteriorly. The purposes of this study were to determine the most common location of degenerative rotator cuff tears and to examine tear location patterns associated with various tear sizes.

Methods

Ultrasonograms of 360 shoulders with either a full-thickness rotator cuff tear (272) or a partial-thickness rotator cuff tear (eighty-eight) were obtained to measure the width and length of the tear and the distance from the biceps tendon to the anterior margin of the tear. Tears were grouped on the basis of their size (anteroposterior width) and extent (partial or full-thickness). Each tear was represented numerically as a column of consecutive numbers representing the tear width and distance posterior to the biceps tendon. All tears were pooled to graphically represent the width and location of the tears within groups. Frequency histograms of the pooled data were generated, and the mode was determined for each histogram representing various tear groups.

Results

The mean age (and standard deviation) of the 233 subjects (360 shoulders) was 64.7 +/- 10.2 years. The mean width and length of the tears were 16.3 +/- 12.1 mm and 17.0 +/- 13.0 mm, respectively. The mean distance from the biceps tendon to the anterior tear margin was 7.8 +/- 5.7 mm (range, 0 to 26 mm). Histograms of the various tear groups invariably showed the location of 15 to 16 mm posterior to the biceps tendon to be the most commonly torn location within the posterior cuff tendons. The histograms of small tears (a width of <10 mm) and partial-thickness tears showed similar distributions of tear locations, indicating that the region approximately 15 mm posterior to the biceps tendon may be where rotator cuff tears most commonly initiate.

Conclusions

Degenerative rotator cuff tears most commonly involve a posterior location, near the junction of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus. The patterns of tear location across multiple tear sizes suggest that degenerative cuff tears may initiate in a region 13 to 17 mm posterior to the biceps tendon.

SUBMITTER: Kim HM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2945926 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:PurposeAcute trauma-related rotator cuff tears are believed to have better healing potential than chronic tears due to less degenerative changes of the tendons. However, the histopathological condition of tendons from trauma-related tears is not well investigated. The purpose of this study was to explore specific histopathological features in tendons from acute trauma-related full-thickness rotator cuff tears and to compare them to findings in tendons from nontraumatic, chronic tears.MethodsIn a prospective cohort study, 62 previously asymptomatic patients [14 women, median age 61 years (range 42-75)] with trauma-related full-thickness rotator cuff tears were consecutively included. Arthroscopic repair was performed within 30 (median, IQR 25-37) days after the injury. During surgery, tissue biopsies were harvested from the supraspinatus tendons in 53 (86%) of the patients. In addition, similar biopsies were harvested from 10 patients undergoing surgery for chronic tears without history of trauma. All tissue samples were examined by a well-experienced pathologist under light microscope. Tendon degeneration was determined using the Bonar score whereas immunostaining was used for proliferation (Ki67), inflammation (CD45), apoptosis (p53) and haemosiderin staining to study traces of bleeding.ResultsThe median (IQR) Bonar score for the acute trauma-related biopsies was 10.5 (7.5-14.5) compared to 11 (5-12.8) for the control group with no statistically significant difference between the groups. No statistically significant between-group difference was found for the inflammatory index whereas tendons from patients with trauma-related full-thickness rotator cuff tears had statistically significantly higher apoptosis [3.1 (0.5-8.9) vs. 0.1 (0-1.5), p = 0.003] and proliferation [4.0 (1.8-6.9) vs. 0.4 (0-2.0), p = 0.001) indices than those undergoing surgery for chronic tears. Positive haemosiderin staining was found in 34% of tissue samples from patients with trauma-related tears compared to 10% in the control group (n.s).ConclusionThis study suggests that there is no difference with regard to degenerative changes between supraspinatus tendons harvested from patients with acute, trauma-related rotator cuff tears and patients with nontraumatic, chronic tears.Level of evidenceII.

Project description:BackgroundArthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) is among the most commonly performed orthopaedic procedures. Several factors-including age, sex, and tear severity-have been identified as predictors for outcome after repair. The influence of the tear etiology on functional and structural outcome remains controversial.PurposeTo investigate the influence of tear etiology (degenerative vs traumatic) on functional and structural outcomes in patients with supraspinatus tendon tears.Study designCohort study; Level of evidence, 2.MethodsPatients undergoing ARCR from 19 centers were prospectively enrolled between June 2020 and November 2021. Full-thickness, nonmassive tears involving the supraspinatus tendon were included. Tears were classified as degenerative (chronic shoulder pain, no history of trauma) or traumatic (acute, traumatic onset, no previous shoulder pain). Range of motion, strength, the Subjective Shoulder Value, the Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), and the Constant-Murley Score (CMS) were assessed before (baseline) and 6 and 12 months after ARCR. The Subjective Shoulder Value and the OSS were also determined at the 24-month follow-up. Repair integrity after 12 months was documented, as well as additional surgeries up to the 24-month follow-up. Tear groups were compared using mixed models adjusted for potential confounding effects.ResultsFrom a cohort of 973 consecutive patients, 421 patients (degenerative tear, n = 230; traumatic tear, n = 191) met the inclusion criteria. The traumatic tear group had lower mean baseline OSS and CMS scores but significantly greater score changes 12 months after ARCR (OSS, 18 [SD, 8]; CMS, 34 [SD,18] vs degenerative: OSS, 15 [SD, 8]; CMS, 22 [SD, 15]) (P < .001) and significantly higher 12-month overall scores (OSS, 44 [SD, 5]; CMS, 79 [SD, 9] vs degenerative: OSS, 42 [SD, 7]; CMS, 76 [SD, 12]) (P≤ .006). At the 24-month follow-up, neither the OSS (degenerative, 44 [SD, 6]; traumatic, 45 [SD, 6]; P = .346) nor the rates of repair failure (degenerative, 14 [6.1%]; traumatic 12 [6.3%]; P = .934) and additional surgeries (7 [3%]; 7 [3.7%]; P = .723) differed between groups.ConclusionPatients with degenerative and traumatic full-thickness supraspinatus tendon tears who had ARCR show satisfactory short-term functional results. Although patients with traumatic tears have lower baseline functional scores, they rehabilitate over time and show comparable clinical results 1 year after ARCR. Similarly, degenerative and traumatic rotator cuff tears show comparable structural outcomes, which suggests that degenerated tendons retain healing potential.

Project description:PurposeTo determine whether anterior cable tears could be identified at the time of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and determine the characteristics of the anterior cable tears identified.MethodsFrom 2016 to 2017 all shoulder arthroscopies had data collected prospectively at the time of surgery, specifically including injury to the capsular and tendon zones of insertion on the greater tuberosity. Anterior cable position and degree of injury and medialization were recorded, as well as complete findings of the diagnostic arthroscopy. The inclusion criterion was primary shoulder arthroscopy. The exclusion criterion was any revision shoulder arthroscopy. All arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs (ARCR) were grouped together and all other nonarthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgeries (non-ARCR) were grouped together.ResultsIn total, 118 shoulder arthroscopies had data collected prospectively at the time of surgery: 90 primary shoulder arthroscopies met the inclusion criteria; 28 were excluded because they were revision surgeries. There were 42 patients in the ARCR group (Group 1). Six of these were partial tears, and 36 were full-thickness tears. There were 48 patients in the non-ARCR group (Group 2). The non-ARCR Group 2 served as an anatomic baseline for ARCR Group 1. In all 90 shoulders, the rotator cable and anterior cable were identified. Group 1 (ARCR) incidence of anterior cable tears with abnormal position was 71.4% compared to 2.1% in group 2 (non-ARCR) (P < .001) Group 1 (ARCR) incidence of anterior cable tears with normal anterior cable position (n = 12) was compared to abnormal anterior cable position (n = 30). Injury to the anterior footprint capsular and tendon zones were compared. Normal anterior cable position correlated with no or low-grade injury to anterior footprint capsular zone. (Nimura zone C1). Abnormal anterior cable displacement graded as moderate (n = 20) and severe (n = 10) were compared for injury to the anterior footprint. Moderate displacement correlated with complete or high grade injury to C1 in 85% and complete injury to R1 in 45% (P < .001 and .049). In severe displacement complete C1 injury was 100%, and complete R1 injury was 100% (P < .001 and .001).ConclusionsAnterior cable tears are universally identified in ARCR. Three patterns of medial displacement severity correlated with injury to a crucial insertion zone (C1) at the anterior footprint. The degree of anterior cable disruption at the anterior footprint and displacement was commonly disproportionately greater than the injury to the supraspinatus.Level of evidenceLevel III, diagnostic study.