Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair With Concomitant Capsular Release

Patients with rotator cuff tears may present with or subsequently develop concomitant shoulder stiffness. The treatment of rotator cuff tears in the face of passive glenohumeral motion loss is controversial. Preoperative shoulder stiffness has been considered by some a contraindication to rotator cuff repair. Some surgeons recommend staging surgical procedures and delaying rotator cuff repair until shoulder stiffness has resolved. However, this can lead to prolonged recovery times and patient dissatisfaction. We describe a surgical technique that allows for the single-stage arthroscopic management of rotator cuff tears with associated adhesive capsulitis. Arthroscopic capsular release and shoulder manipulation are performed in the same operative setting as arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. We have found that this combined, single-stage arthroscopic approach can effectively treat patients with rotator cuff tears and concomitant shoulder stiffness.