[Clinical research of arthroscopic separate double-layer suture bridge technique for delaminated rotator cuff tear]

To explore the effectiveness of the arthroscopic separate double-layer suture bridge technique in treatment of the delaminated rotator cuff tear.

Between May 2013 and May 2015, 54 patients with the delaminated rotator cuff tears were recruited in the study. They were randomly allocated into 2 groups to receive repair either using arthroscopic separate double-layer suture bridge technique (trial group, n=28) or using arthroscopic whole-layer suture bridge technique (control group, n=26). There was no significant difference in gender, age, injured side, tear type, and preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Constants score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) score, and the range of motion of shoulder joint between 2 groups ( P>0.05). Postoperative functional scores, range of motion, and recurrence rate of tear in 2 groups were observed and compared.

The operation time was significant longer in trial group than in control group ( t=8.383, P=0.000). All incisions healed at stage Ⅰ without postoperative complication. All the patients were followed up 12 months. At 12 months postoperatively, the UCLA score, ASES score, VAS score, Constant score, and the range of motion were significantly improved when compared with the preoperative values in 2 groups ( P<0.05). However there was no significant difference in above indexes between 2 groups ( P>0.05). Four cases (14.3%) of rotator cuff tear recurred in trial group while 5 cases (19.2%) in control group, showing no significant difference ( χ²=0.237, P=0.626).

Compared with the arthroscopic whole-layer suture bridge technique, arthroscopic separate double-layer suture bridge technique presents no significant difference in the shoulder function score, the range of motion, and recurrence of rotator cuff tear, while having a longer operation time.