Shuttle Suture Technique for Passing Rotator Cuff Suture Through the Plate Eyelet Holes in Proximal Humerus Fixation

The proximal humerus fracture is common in both adult and elderly patients, with an incidence of approximately 5%, of whom about 1 in 4 is treated operatively. To achieve the healing of the fracture, the operative technique is combined with an internal fixation by a locking plate and tension band rotator cuff sutures by passing the sutures through each eyelet hole of the plate and tightening them. The tension band rotator cuff sutures provide good functional and radiographic outcomes in cases of proximal humerus fracture. The surgeons normally pass a rotator cuff suture through each eyelet hole using a curved needle which can pass only one suture in one eyelet hole. We propose a shuttle suture technique to easily pass the rotator cuff sutures through the eyelet holes of the locking plate.