Clinical outcomes and repair integrity after arthroscopic full-thickness rotator cuff repair: suture-bridge versus double-row modified Mason-Allen technique

• Published in: Journal of shoulder and elbow surgery 2018-11, Vol.27 (11), p.1953-1959
• Main Authors: Lee, Kwang Won, Yang, Dae Suk, Lee, Gyu Sang, Ma, Chang Hyun, Choy, Won Sik
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; arthroscopic repair; Arthroscopy; clinical outcomes; double-row modified Mason-Allen; Female; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Middle Aged; Pain Measurement; repair integrity; Retrospective Studies; Rotator Cuff Injuries - diagnostic imaging; Rotator Cuff Injuries - surgery; Rotator cuff tear; Suture Anchors; suture bridge; Suture Techniques; Sutures; Treatment Outcome; Visual Analog Scale
• ISSN: 1058-2746; 1532-6500
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jse.2018.04.005

This retrospective study compared the clinical and radiologic outcomes of patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs by the suture-bridge and double-row modified Mason-Allen techniques. From January 2012 to May 2013, 76 consecutive cases of full-thickness rotator cuff tear, 1 to 4 cm in the sagittal plane, for which arthroscopic rotator cuff repair was performed, were included. The suture-bridge technique was used in 37 consecutive shoulders; and the double-row modified Mason-Allen technique, in 39 consecutive shoulders. Clinical outcomes at a minimum of 2 years (mean, 35.7 months) were evaluated postoperatively using the visual analog scale; University of California, Los Angeles Shoulder Scale; American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Subjective Shoulder Scale; and Constant score. Postoperative cuff integrity was evaluated at a mean of 17.7 months by magnetic resonance imaging. At the final follow-up, the clinical outcomes improved in both groups (all P  .05). The retear rate was 18.9% in the shoulders subjected to suture-bridge repair and 12.8% in the double-row modified Mason-Allen group; the difference was not significant (P = .361). Despite the presence of fewer suture anchors, the patients who underwent double-row modified Mason-Allen repair had comparable shoulder functional outcomes and a comparable retear rate with those who underwent suture-bridge repair. Therefore, the double-row modified Mason-Allen repair technique can be considered an effective treatment for patients with medium- to large-sized full-thickness rotator cuff tears.