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Infraspinatus shift for massive, posterosuperior tears yields good clinical outcome

  • Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Published:
Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Aim

To evaluate the functional outcome of partial reconstruction margin convergence in the treatment of massive, irreparable posterosuperior rotator cuff tear (RCT).

Methods

This retrospective, single-center study included all patients that were operated by means of a partial repair and infraspinatus shift for a massive, posterosuperior cuff tear between 2009 and 2016, either in arthroscopic or mini-open technique. Outcome measures included sex- and age-adapted Constant Score (saCS), Western Ontario Rotator Cuff (WORC) Index, Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand Scores (DASH), and relative effect per patient (REPP).

Results

Fifty-six shoulders in 54 patients (mean age: 66 ± 7 years) were evaluated at a mean follow-up of 40 ± 9 months. The mean tear size was Bateman 3.1 ± 0.7 and Patte 2.3 ± 0.4. All clinical scores showed improvement. The saCS improved from 64.1 ± 13.4 to 90.4 ± 13.7 (p < 0.0001), the DASH score from 51.8 ± 9.4 to 10.2 ± 13.4 (p < 0.0001) and the WORC index from 47.1% ± 8.6 to 87.9% ± 13.7 (p < 0.0001). The abduction strength of the affected side (1.7 ± 1.6 kg) was not restored to the same level as the contralateral side (5.4 ± 2.7 kg, p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Partial cuff repair for posterosuperior, massive cuff tears yields good clinical outcome with a low rate of complications and high proportion of good and excellent responders.

Level of evidence

Level IV, therapeutic case series.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all participating patients.

Funding

No funding was received for this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sporthopaedicum Regensburg-Straubing, Regensburg, Germany

    Leonard Achenbach, Stefan Greiner & Max J. Kääb

  2. Department of Orthopedics, König-Ludwig-Haus, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Brettreichstraße 11, Wuerzburg, 97074, Germany

    Leonard Achenbach

  3. University Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany

    Pia Ahlers

  4. Department of Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany

    Christian G. Pfeifer

Authors
  1. Leonard Achenbach
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  2. Pia Ahlers
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  3. Christian G. Pfeifer
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  4. Stefan Greiner
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  5. Max J. Kääb
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Surgery was performed by MJK, material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by LA and PA. The first draft of the manuscript was written by LA and all authors (MJK, PA, SG, CGP) commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Leonard Achenbach.

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Conflict of interest

All authors declare no conflict of interest for this study.

Ethical approval

Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was obtained from the IRB (ID 17-656-101) prior to the initiation of this study.

Informed consent

Informed written consent was obtained from all study participants.

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Achenbach, L., Ahlers, P., Pfeifer, C.G. et al. Infraspinatus shift for massive, posterosuperior tears yields good clinical outcome. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 143, 133–139 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-021-04029-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-021-04029-1

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