Compression of an Autograft Biceps Into an Augmentation Patch Does Not Cause Mechanical Damage to the Tenocyte

To evaluate the effects of this graft preparation technique on histologic evidence of tenocyte mechanical damage.

A consecutive series of patients undergoing biceps tenodesis for shoulder pathology were evaluated. After suprapectoral tenodesis, 27 mm of the long head of the biceps was secured for compression into the patch. The remaining length of the residual tendon was longitudinally split, resulting in 2 equal lengths of remnant tendon from the same zone. One sample was sent to pathology with no preparation, and the other was prepared as a compressed biceps autograft patch according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Both grafts were sent to pathology for evaluation of tenocyte morphology. Records were reviewed to determine if compression resulted in mechanical damage to the tenocytes at the time of biceps augmentation.

Fifty-five shoulder procedures and 110 samples were sent for pathology analysis. Forty-two of the 55 (76%) specimens demonstrated morphologically normal tenocytes in both the compressed and noncompressed groups, and 7 (13%) cases showed evidence of tenocyte necrosis or mechanical damage in both groups. The difference in abnormal tenocyte morphology between the compressed and native groups was not statistically significant (P = .625).

Autograft biceps compression into a point-of-care patch did not result in mechanical damage to tenocyte morphology at the time of insertion for augmentation of rotator cuff pathology.

Free proximal biceps tendon compression can result in a patch that does not mechanically damage the tenocyte. The patch can be used as a biologic autograft to enhance shoulder rotator cuff repair, as well as subscapularis repair in the setting of shoulder arthroplasty.