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Sonography of the postoperative rotator cuff
AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology
|March 1, 1986
Summary
Postoperative rotator cuff ultrasound shows abnormal echogenicity, mimicking tears. Differentiating retears requires specific criteria, focusing on defects within the tendon, not just echogenicity changes.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Radiology
- Musculoskeletal Imaging
Background:
- High-resolution real-time sonography is an accurate noninvasive method for diagnosing rotator cuff tears.
- The sonographic appearance of the postoperative rotator cuff has not been previously reported.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the sonographic appearance of the rotator cuff after surgical repair.
- To establish criteria for diagnosing recurrent rotator cuff tears in the postoperative setting.
Main Methods:
- Sonographic evaluation of 40 patients who underwent rotator cuff repair.
- Study included patients from 1 week to 6 years post-surgery.
Main Results:
- Postoperative rotator cuffs exhibit abnormal echogenicity, resembling tears in nonoperated shoulders.
- Soft-tissue planes around the tendon are often distorted or absent.
- Normal postoperative echogenicity does not exclude retear; a defect or gap within the tendon is the only reliable sign of recurrent tear.
Conclusions:
- Diagnosing rotator cuff retears requires criteria distinct from those used for new tears in nonoperated cuffs.
- A defect or gap within the rotator cuff tendon is the sole accurate sonographic indicator of a recurrent tear.