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Muscle biopsies from the supraspinatus in retracted rotator cuff tears respond normally to passive mechanical testing: a pilot study

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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the present study was to assess the function of the isolated muscle component in retracted rotator cuff tears.

Methods

Muscle biopsies were harvested from the supraspinatus and the ipsilateral deltoid in seven patients undergoing surgery for a large, retracted rotator cuff tear. Single fibres and fibre bundles were subjected to passive stretching in vitro with subsequent recordings of tension and sarcomere lengths using the laser diffraction technique. Stress–strain curves were plotted, and the elastic modulus was calculated for all preparations. Morphology was evaluated with regard to collagen fraction, ratio between fast and slow fibres, fibre size and fibre size variability using standard staining techniques.

Results

Intra-individual comparisons of the stress–strain curves showed a high degree of conformity in terms of both shape and tangent values, and there were no statistically significant differences in the elastic modulus for single fibres and bundles in the deltoid and supraspinatus muscles, respectively, supported by the analysis of the observed confidence interval of the differences between the paired values of the elastic modulus. There were no differences in collagen content, fibre size and ratio between fast and slow fibres in the deltoid and supraspinatus muscles, respectively.

Conclusion

We conclude that muscle biopsies from the supraspinatus in retracted rotator cuff tears respond normally to mechanical testing in vitro.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from Elin and Carl Linders Foundation, Sweden.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lundberg Laboratory for Orthopaedic Research, University of Gothenburg, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Fredrik Einarsson, Eva Runesson, Jón Karlsson & Jan Fridén

  2. Department of Orthopaedics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 431 80, Mölndal, Sweden

    Fredrik Einarsson & Jón Karlsson

  3. Department of Hand Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Jan Fridén

Authors
  1. Fredrik Einarsson
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  2. Eva Runesson
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  3. Jón Karlsson
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  4. Jan Fridén
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fredrik Einarsson.

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Einarsson, F., Runesson, E., Karlsson, J. et al. Muscle biopsies from the supraspinatus in retracted rotator cuff tears respond normally to passive mechanical testing: a pilot study. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 19, 503–507 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-010-1284-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-010-1284-0

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