Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the in vitro repair integrity of massive
rotator cuff tears fixed with transosseous tunnel and single–lateral row suture anchor
techniques. Methods: A 5 × 2–cm crescent-shaped rotator cuff tear was created in 6 matched pairs of cadaveric
shoulders. Paired shoulders were repaired with 3 transosseous tunnels and 6 Mason-Allen
sutures or with 3 screw-in suture anchors and 6 simple sutures. The repairs were cyclically
loaded at physiologic forces along the respective directions of pull when the arm
was in 90° of scapular plane elevation. Gap formation and repair displacements were
monitored with digital video imaging at 3 sites for each repair. Results: There was no significant difference between the maximal gapping of the repair constructs.
After 4,000 cycles, the mean maximal gapping at any position along the repair was
6.2 ± 2.99 mm in the transosseous tunnel construct and 4.9 ± 1.27 mm in the suture
anchor repair construct (P = .40). Gapping was significantly less in the anterior region when compared with
the posterior region of the repair (P = .015).Conclusions: There is no difference in cyclic loading of transosseous and single-row suture anchor
repair techniques. Significantly greater gap formation occurs at the posterior aspect
of repairs of massive rotator cuff tears in this in vitro model. Clinical Relevance: Initial fixation strength of single-row suture anchor repairs is equivalent to that
of transosseous repairs. Further research is required to determine the unknown clinical
significance of increased posterior repair gap formation.
Key Words
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Article info
Footnotes
Supported by the RIH Orthopaedic Foundation and the National Institutes of Health (AR047910, AR049199). Suture anchors were donated by Linvatec, Largo, Florida. The authors report no conflict of interest.
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Copyright
© 2007 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
