Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 25, 2025

Arthroscopic Management of Massive Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears: Whole Rotator Cable Reconstruction Using Proximal Biceps Tendon Autograft
Published on: June 6, 2025
Effect of suprascapular nerve injury on rotator cuff enthesis
Arel Gereli1, Serap Uslu2, Beril Okur3
1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Acibadem University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
Background:
Numerous reports have shown that retracted rotator cuff tears may cause suprascapular nerve injury, and nerve injury causes atrophy and fat accumulation in the rotator cuff muscles. However, the effect of suprascapular nerve injury on rotator cuff enthesis has not been directly defined. This study aimed to investigate the effect of suprascapular nerve injury on rotator cuff enthesis.
Methods:
Twenty-four Wistar albino rats underwent bilateral transection of the suprascapular nerve. Additional 6 rats were used as the sham group. Bilateral supraspinatus and infraspinatus entheses were examined after 1, 4, 8, and 12 weeks of nerve transection. Histomorphometric analyses were performed for each zone of enthesis.
Results:
Compared with normal enthesis, significant and consistent decrease in cellularity were observed in the tendon and bone at all time points (P < .001). Collagen bundle diameter in the tendon also decreased in a similar manner (P < .001). Apart from the tendon and bone zones, fibrocartilage and calcified fibrocartilage zones showed similar response, and significant decrease in cellularity was observed 8 weeks after nerve transection (P < .001).
Conclusion:
This study identifies suprascapular nerve injury as an underlying mechanism leading to compromise of the rotator cuff enthesis structure. Suprascapular nerve injury may be considered as an etiologic factor for the impaired healing after repair of a massive tear.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Muscles that Move the Arm
The pectoralis major has two origins. Its clavicular head originates on the medial half of the clavicle. In contrast, the sternocostal head originates on the costal cartilages of ribs 1-6, the sternum, and the aponeurosis of the external oblique of the...
Muscles of the Shoulder
Anterior Thoracic Muscles
The anterior thoracic muscles include the serratus anterior, subclavius, and...
Bones of the Upper Limb: Humerus

