[The results of the surgical treatment of rotator cuff tears]

Ninety-nine patients with the subacromial impingement syndrome were operated from October 1992 to December 1995 at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery of the Zagreb University School of Medicine. Fifty-two patients, 32 men and 20 women of the avarage age of 53 years (ranging from 23 to 75 years) had rotator cuff tears. The time from the onset of discomfort to the surgery was 13 months on an avaerage. In all the patients, the anterior acromioplasty with the excision of the coracoacromial ligament was performed. The reconstruction of the rotator cuff was performed in 52 patients, i.e., in 54 shoulders. The patients were followed up for the period of 3.5 years on the average (from 2 to 5 years). Forty-six out of 52 patients with the performed acromioplasty and rotator cuff repair presented for the control check-up in order to assess the shoulder function. The shoulder function in these patients was assessed according to the internationally accepted Constant Classification. The mean value of the Constant score for the operated shoulder was 76, and for the non-operated shoulder 83. The satisfactory score was found in 43 (93%), and unsatisfactory in 3 patients (7%). Postoperatively, the range of motion of the shoulder significantly increased compared to the preoperative condition. The elevation of arm before the surgery was 114 degrees, which improved to 161 degrees (p = 0.0001) after the surgery. The main progress in patients after the surgical treatment was the elimination of pain. Postoperatively, almost all patients did not feel pain or it was insignificant when the arm was overburdened. On the basis of the obtained results, the author recommends early surgical treatment for patients with the rotator cuff tears, especially for young and active patients.