Arthroscopic treatment of calcifying tendinitis of the shoulder: clinical and structural long-term results

Clinical and structural long-term results after arthroscopic treatment of calcifying tendinitis remains uncertain. The purpose of the present manuscript is to investigate the clinical and structural long-term results after arthroscopic removal of a calcific deposit with bursectomy and debridement of the rotator cuff. It was hypothesized that excellent clinical results would remain even in the long-term.

In this retrospective study, 30 patients were enrolled with a mean age of 44.8 ± 6.2years at surgery and a mean follow-up of 14.5 years (174 ± 24 months). Clinical evaluation was performed with the Simple Shoulder Test, Constant and Murley Score, the ASES Score and numeric analogue scales for pain, function and satisfaction. Additional postoperative MRI was performed in 20 of 30 patients to analyze the structural long-term results using the Sugaya classification. Long-term results were compared to the published mid-term (36 months) results as well.

22 female and eight male patients were included. The right shoulder was involved in 16 patients, in 14 patients the left shoulder was affected. The dominant side was treated in 17 patients. At follow-up examination, patients had a mean Constant score of 79.4 ± 1.9, a mean Simple Shoulder Test of 10.8 ± 1.9 points and a mean ASES Score of 88.1 ± 15.6 points. Numerical analogue scales showed a mean score of 1.37 ± 2.04 for pain, 8.57 ± 1.83 for function and 8.87 ± 2.32 for patient satisfaction. Compared to the mid-term results, the long-term results remained stable with no significant differences in the visual analog scales for pain function and patient satisfaction as well as the simple shoulder test (p < .05). Postoperative MRI examination at follow-up examination showed 14 Patients with type 1, four patients with type II and two patients with a type III according to the Sugaya Classification. No complete rotator cuff tears (type IV or type V) were seen.

Arthroscopic calcific deposit removal of the shoulder led to excellent clinical and structural long-term results in patients with calcifying tendinitis of the shoulder. Compared to the mid-term results, clinical and structural findings remained stable in the long-term.