[Postoperative results of arthrography following suturing of ruptured rotator cuff]

The authors examined 41 shoulder joints by arthrography after the patients had undergone surgery for rotator cuff tears. In 26 cases the arthrographic findings were negative; that is to say the region of the tendon suture was tightly closed. In 10 of these 26 cases the underside of the rotator cuff had a rather irregular border. The arthrograms were positive for 12 of the other 15 patients who had undergone surgery. In 3 cases contrast medium leakage into tendinous tissue on the joint side was seen. The postoperative results, ascertained with reference to the assessment guidelines proposed by Neer and Patte, were largely unrelated to the arthrographic findings. In patients with contrast medium leakage from the rotator cuff only the muscular strength was slightly reduced. There was no correlation with the clinical symptoms. In the comparison of all patients who had undergone postoperative arthrography with the total study population a lower number in the index was striking. It may be that patients with symptoms persisting after surgery were more prepared to undergo control arthrography.