Clinical and structural outcome twenty years after repair of isolated supraspinatus tendon tears.

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated the clinical and structural outcome 20 years after repair of isolated supraspinatus tendon tears. We hypothesized that the results would deteriorate over time.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

For this retrospective multicenter study, 137 patients were recalled for a clinical and imaging assessment. Six patients (4.3%) had died from unrelated causes, 52 (38.0%) were lost to follow-up, and 13 (9.5%) had undergone reoperations. This left 66 patients for clinical evaluation. Radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging were additionally performed for 45 patients, allowing assessment of osteoarthritis, tendon healing, fatty infiltration (FI), and muscle atrophy.

RESULTS

The Constant Score (CS) improved from 51.5 ± 14.1 points preoperatively to 71 points (P < .05) with a mean Subjective Shoulder Value (SSV) of 77.2% ± 22%. Tendon discontinuity (Sugaya IV-V) was present in 19 of 45 patients (42 %), and there was advanced FI (Goutallier III-IV) of the supraspinatus in 12 (27%) and of the infraspinatus muscle in 16 (35%). Supraspinatus atrophy was present in 12 patients (28%), advanced arthritis in 6, and cuff tear arthropathy in 12 (30%). The CS and SSV were significantly inferior for shoulders with FI of stages III to IV (P < .05). The CS was lower in cuff tear arthropathy and correlated with infraspinatus FI.

CONCLUSIONS

At 20 years after surgical repair of isolated supraspinatus tears, the clinical outcome remains significantly above the preoperative state. FI of the infraspinatus is the most influential factor on long-term clinical outcome.