Arthroscopic repair of full-thickness rotator cuff tears

Background
Rotator cuff tears are among the most common conditions affecting the shoulder. Despite their ubiquity, there is substantial debate concerning their management. Arthroscopic repair methods have been developed, with the promise of more rapid patient recovery.
Purpose
The aim of this study was to describe the surgical technique and to evaluate the clinical results of arthroscopic repair of different-sized full-thickness rotator cuff tears using bone suture anchors.
Patients and methods
The study was conducted in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, El-Hadara Orthopaedic and in Traumatology University Hospital, Alexandria University (Egypt) from 2008 to 2010. Eighty shoulders in 80 patients, 38 men and 42 women, with symptomatic chronic fullthickness rotator cuff tears were included in the study. Arthroscopic cuff repair (using bone suture anchors) with subacromial decompression was applied to all patients. The age of the patients varied from 37 to 78 years with a mean of 61.15 years. There were 38 men (47.5%) and 42 women (52.5%). The patients were prospectively followed up clinically for a mean of 30 months (range: 20–37 months). The clinical assessment was performed with the modified University of California at Los Angeles score (55 points).
Results
The modified University of California at Los Angeles score improved significantly from a mean of 24.85 points preoperatively (range: 16–38 points) to a mean of 43.83 points postoperatively (range: 16–55 points) ( < 0.001). Seventy-six (95%) of the 80 shoulders were considered by the patients to be much better or better as a result of the operation. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications.
Conclusion
Arthroscopic repair of full-thickness rotator cuff tears using bone anchors offered good results, provided a stable construct that can allow early rehabilitation without failure, and enabled tendon–bone healing. Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair was successful for large and small tears. Moreover, the earlier the operative intervention, the better was the outcome.