Subscapularis tendon tears: a common sonographic finding in symptomatic postarthroplasty shoulders

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Musculoskeletal imaging
• Shoulder biomechanics

Background:

• Subscapularis tendon division is standard during shoulder arthroplasty.
• This can lead to iatrogenic tears, complicating patient recovery.
• Accurate diagnosis of these tears is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of subscapularis tendon tears.
• To assess tears using sonography in symptomatic shoulders post-arthroplasty.
• To compare prevalence with other patient groups.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of shoulder sonogram reports over 11 years.
• Analysis of 112 symptomatic post-arthroplasty patients.
• Comparison with 209 rotator cuff repair patients and 11 asymptomatic volunteers.

Main Results:

• Subscapularis tears found in 51% of symptomatic post-arthroplasty shoulders.
• Prevalence significantly higher than in rotator cuff repair patients (16%).
• Asymptomatic post-arthroplasty volunteers showed lower prevalence (9%).

Conclusions:

• Subscapularis tendon tears are a frequent finding.
• Sonography is a valuable tool for diagnosing these tears.
• Findings highlight the clinical significance of subscapularis integrity post-surgery.