[Open surgical procedures in calcifying tendinitis of the shoulder - concomitant pathologies affect clinical outcome].

AIM OF THE STUDY: Open surgical removal of calcifications in chronic courses of calcifying tendinitis of the shoulder can be combined with acromioplasty. Independent of the surgical procedure not all patients achieve satisfactory surgical results. The aim of the study was to investigate whether preoperatively known epidemiologic, social, clinical and radiologic factors or intraoperative findings might influence the therapeutic outcome.

METHODS

Following diagnostic arthroscopy, open removal of the calcifications was done as an isolated procedure (group A, n = 12) or combined with open acromioplasty (group/B, n = 24). Follow-up was 33 months for both groups.

RESULTS

Clinical outcomes were comparable in both groups (Group A, 74.9 points; Group B 73.4 points, Constant-Murley score) and independent of gender, age, profession, duration of anamnesis, hospital-stay period, follow-up period, dominance of arm, preoperative Constant-Murley score, calcification morphology and size and acromial type. 20 patients in total achieved a clinical outcome of </= 75 points (Constant-Murley score). 12 of these demonstrated lesions of the rotator cuff and joint cartilage combined with synovialitis. In 6 patients an adverse preoperative Constant-Murley score or the wish to receive a pension was recorded.

CONCLUSION

Both surgical procedures lead to overall good and satisfactory clinical results. Below average clinical outcomes are associated with pathologic findings of the glenohumeral joints, adverse preoperative clinical situation or the wish to receive a pension.