Arthroscopic repair techniques for massive rotator cuff tears.

Patients with massive rotator cuff tears present with pain, weakness, and loss of function. Candidates for arthroscopic repair include symptomatic, young, active patients; those with an acute tear or tears with early changes of atrophy; and patients willing to comply with recovery and rehabilitation processes after surgery. As massive rotator cuff tears extend, the glenohumeral articulation is destabilized, allowing superior migration. Repair of the force couples and reinforcement of the anterosuperior rotator cuff cable can restore functional elevation via the deltoid. Muscle changes, including rotator cuff atrophy and fatty infiltration, will affect shoulder strength and function. As chronic changes become more extensive (such as the absence of the acromiohumeral interval and degenerative joint changes), other repair options may be more durable. Other arthroscopic options, including partial rotator cuff closure, graft to augment the repair, and use of the long head of the biceps tendon, have been helpful in pain relief and functional gains.