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Author Spotlight: Treating Frozen Shoulder with Small Needle Knife Therapy
Published on: November 17, 2023
Long head of the biceps intra-articular tenotomy using needle arthroscopy under local anesthesia: preliminary results
Claudio Rosso1,2, Kushtrim Grezda3,4,5, Philipp R Heuberer6,7,8
1Shoulder and Elbow Center, ARTHRO Medics, Thannerstrasse 45, 4054, Basel, Switzerland. c.rosso@arthro.ch.
Purpose:
Arthroscopic isolated biceps tenotomy is a procedure successfully performed in patients with degenerative rotator cuff tears which offers good clinical results. With this article, we describe the technique of biceps tenotomy with needle arthroscopy in local anesthesia and the results of first patients treated from 2018.
Methods:
Thirteen patients with irreparable rotator cuff tear treated with arthroscopic needle biceps tenotomy under local anesthesia were included. Constant score and active/passive flexion were recorded preoperatively and at 3 months postoperatively.
Results:
The average age of the patients was 71 ± 7 year old. All the patients were available for the follow-up. The Constant score significantly improved from pre- to postoperatively (44 ± 8.9 to 63.1 ± 14.2, p < 0.05). Active flexion improved from preoperatively 115 ± 24° to 145 ± 31° postoperatively (p < 0.05), while passive flexion did not significantly improve.
Conclusion:
This technique can be safely performed in the elderly patient with irreparable rotator cuff tears and pain refractory to conservative measures.
