Captured Rotator Cuff: A Poor Prognostic Factor in Rotator Cuff Repair

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Musculoskeletal Imaging
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Rotator cuff tears are common injuries.
• Recurrent tears and associated arthropathy pose clinical challenges.
• A novel presentation, captured rotator cuff (CRC), requires characterization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the clinical and imaging features of captured rotator cuff (CRC).
• To evaluate the functional outcomes in patients diagnosed with CRC.
• To assess the association between lesion extent and functional scores.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 16 patients with intraoperative CRC diagnosis.
• Imaging evaluation including radiography and MRI for arthropathy and retears.
• Functional assessment using UCLA and Constant & Murley scores, comparing affected and contralateral sides.

Main Results:

• Rotator cuff arthropathy observed in 31.25% and retears in 62.5% of patients.
• Good/excellent functional scores (UCLA/Constant) were achieved by 75% of patients with nonextensive lesions.
• Patients with CRC demonstrated statistically significant worse functional outcomes compared to the contralateral shoulder.

Conclusions:

• Captured rotator cuff (CRC) diagnosis is suspected via MRI and confirmed arthroscopically.
• CRC is associated with rotator cuff arthropathy and retears.
• Affected shoulders exhibit diminished postoperative functional scores.