Arthroscopic Subscapularis Tendon Repair Using the Mason-Allen Technique

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair is increasingly used for tendon tears.
• The Mason-Allen stitch has demonstrated improved fixation in biomechanical studies.
• Its application to subscapularis tendon tears is less common.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical outcomes of arthroscopic subscapularis tendon repair using the Mason-Allen technique.
• To assess the efficacy of this method in improving shoulder function and reducing pain.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 98 patients undergoing arthroscopic subscapularis repair (May 2015 - Dec 2018).
• Patients were assessed using Visual Analog Scale (VAS), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and Constant-Murley score.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was used to evaluate repair integrity.

Main Results:

• Significant reduction in pain (VAS decreased from 3.42 to 1.91).
• Significant improvement in shoulder function (ASES increased from 43.6 to 74.5).
• Seven retears were identified via MRI.

Conclusions:

• Arthroscopic repair of subscapularis tendons using the Mason-Allen technique leads to reduced pain.
• The technique results in satisfactory functional recovery of the shoulder.