Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 29, 2025
Novel Triple-Loop Technique for Suturing TFCC Injuries without Transosseous Tunnel
Published on: May 23, 2025
Rotator cuff repairs with all-suture tape anchors: no difference in outcomes between with or without all-suture tape
Sung-Min Rhee1, Seung-Min Youn2, Cheol Hwan Kim3
1Shoulder and Elbow Clinic, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Purpose:
This study aimed at comparing the outcomes of medium- to large-sized rotator cuff repairs performed using the suture bridge technique either with or without tape-like sutures, and single row techniques with conventional sutures.
Methods:
A total of 135 eligible patients with medium to large rotator cuff tears were identified and analyzed retrospectively, from 2017 to 2019. Only repairs using all-suture anchors were included in the study. Patients were divided into the following three groups: single-row (SR) repair (N = 50), standard double-row suture bridge (DRSB) repair with conventional sutures (N = 35), and DRSB with tape-like sutures (N = 50). The average postoperative follow-up period was 26.3 ± 9.8 months (range, 18-37).
Results:
DRSB with tapes had the highest re-tear rate of 16% (8/50), but there was no significant difference with the re-tear rates observed in SR (8%, 4/50) and DRSB with conventional sutures (11.4%, 4/35) (n.s.). DRSB with tapes demonstrated higher rate of type 2 re-tears (10%) compared to type 1 re-tears (6%), but the other two groups showed either similar or higher rates of type 1 re-tears compared to that of type 2. Post-operative functional scores of the three groups improved significantly (all p < 0.05), but the differences between the groups were not statistically significant.
Conclusions:
No clinical difference in functional outcomes and re-tear rates were observed in DRSB with tapes when compared with SR and DRSB using the conventional sutures. Tape-like DRSB suture which was expected to be superior by its biomechanical advantage was clinically non-superior to conventional DRSB suture. There were no significant differences in VAS scores and UCLA scores.
Level Of Evidence:
Level III.
