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Metallic versus biodegradable suture anchors for rotator cuff repair: a case control study
Umile Giuseppe Longo1,2, Stefano Petrillo3,4, Mattia Loppini5,6
1Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-Medico University, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Trigoria, Rome, Italy. g.longo@unicampus.it.
This study found no significant difference in shoulder function after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (RCR) using either metal or biodegradable suture anchors. Long-term outcomes were comparable between the two anchor types for rotator cuff tears under 5 cm.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Biomaterials Science
- Sports Medicine
Background:
- Rotator cuff (RC) tears are commonly repaired using suture anchors for soft tissue fixation.
- Arthroscopic single-row rotator cuff repair (RCR) is a standard surgical procedure.
- The choice between metal and biodegradable suture anchors impacts long-term outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the long-term clinical and functional outcomes of single-row arthroscopic RCR using metal versus biodegradable suture anchors.
- To evaluate differences in shoulder function based on UCLA shoulder score, Wolfgang criteria, and Oxford shoulder score.
- To test the null hypothesis of no significant difference between anchor types.
Main Methods:
- A prospective case-control study involving 110 patients undergoing arthroscopic RCR.
- Patients were divided into two groups: 51 using metal suture anchors and 59 using biodegradable suture anchors.
- Clinical and functional outcomes were assessed at a mean follow-up of 4.05 years.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences were observed in modified UCLA shoulder scores (P=0.5), Wolfgang scores (P=0.3), or Oxford shoulder scores (P=0.1) between the metal and biodegradable anchor groups.
- Shoulder range of motion (anterior elevation, external rotation) and muscle strength (anterior elevation, external rotation, internal rotation) showed no significant differences between groups.
- All functional outcome measures demonstrated comparable results for both types of suture anchors.
Conclusions:
- Single-row arthroscopic RCR using metallic or biodegradable suture anchors yields similar long-term clinical and functional outcomes for rotator cuff tears less than 5 cm.
- The choice of suture anchor material (metal vs. biodegradable) does not appear to influence patient outcomes at a mean follow-up of over 4 years.
- This suggests both anchor types are effective for rotator cuff repair, offering surgeons flexibility in material selection.
