The Effect of Acromioplasty on the Critical Shoulder Angle and Acromial Index

To evaluate the effect of acromioplasty using a cutting block technique on bony coverage as measured by the critical shoulder angle (CSA) and acromial index (AI).

This study is a retrospective radiographic review using data from a previous prospective randomized clinical trial that offered enrollment to patients aged 18 years or older with a full-thickness tear of the superior rotator cuff between October 2007 and January 2011. Each patient was allocated to repair with either acromioplasty using a cutting block technique or non-acromioplasty treatment arms in a blinded fashion. Medical and demographic information was recorded for each patient. Between January 2017 and December 2017, patients were contacted for repeat follow-up clinical evaluation and radiographs. Measurements of acromial index and critical shoulder angle were performed on pre- and postoperative radiographs by a single reviewer.

Seventy-one (75%) patients were available for follow up. The 2 groups were similar in terms of baseline demographics and acromial type. When compared with preoperative measures, acromioplasty did not result in significant reductions in mean CSA (34.5° vs 35.5°; P = .293) or AI (0.68 vs 0.66; P = .283). Furthermore, postoperative CSA (34.5° vs 36.2°, P = .052) and AI (0.66 vs 0.67, P = .535) demonstrated no statistically significant differences between patients with and without acromioplasty, respectively.

There was no statistically significant change in either the CSA or AI following acromioplasty, nor was there a significant postoperative difference in CSA or AI between the group that underwent acromioplasty and the group that did not.

Some studies suggest a greater postoperative CSA may result in greater risk of retear after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. The CSA and AI may not be modifiable with acromioplasty.