Intraosseous calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff yields similar outcomes to those of intratendinous lesions despite worse preoperative scores.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the surgical outcomes of arthroscopic removal of intraosseous deposits in patients with intraosseous calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff.

METHODS

This study involved a retrospective review of 96 patients operated on from 2004 to 2019. Patients were divided into two groups according to the location of calcific deposits. Group I had pure tendinous involvement (n = 71), and Group II had tendinous and intraosseous involvement (n = 25). The mean follow-up time was 6.4 ± 3.9 years. There were 71 patients (46 women, 25 men) in Group I, and the mean age was 49.3 ± 8.2 years (range 30-65 years). In group II, there were 25 patients (18 women, 7 men); the mean age was 47.3 ± 11.2 years (range 28-70 years).

RESULTS

The mean preoperative VAS pain score was 8.8 ± 1.4 in Group I compared to 9.5 ± 0.5 in group II (p = 0.017). The median preoperative Constant and Oxford scores were 42 (20-65) and 22 (8-34) in Group I and 25.5 (22-46) and 10 (8-16) in group II, respectively (p < 0.001). There was no difference in postoperative pain scores (Group I: 0.7 ± 1.6 and group II: 0.5 ± 0.6, p = 0.926), Constant scores [Group I: 100 (80-100) and group II: 100 (90-100), (n.s).] and Oxford scores [Group I: 48 (28-48) and group II: 46.5 (4-48), (n.s.)] between the two groups. The number of preoperative injections was higher in Group II (p = 0.05). There was no correlation between the size of the soft tissue calcific deposit and the preoperative pain, Constant, and Oxford scores (n.s.).

CONCLUSION

Arthroscopic debridement of calcific tendinitis with intraosseous involvement is a safe and effective treatment method similar to that of pure tendinous involvement.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.