• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.181-187
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• 2010

Purpose: To determine clinical results for arthroscopic repair of a full-thickness rotator cuff tear using a suture bridge technique. Materials and Methods: Between November, 2007 and October, 2008, we evaluated 90 cases of arthroscopic middle, large rotator tear cuff repair. The mean follow-up period was 15 months (range, 12-23 months). Forty-three cases had medium-sized tears; 47 cases had large-sized tears. At the preoperative stage and again at last follow-up, functional results were assessed by the KSS, ASES, UCLA and the PVAS (Pain visual analogue score). Results: Pain score improved from 2.56 preoperatively to 0.96 at final follow-up; movement scores improved from 6.94 to 1.70. At. final follow-up, the average UCLA score improved from 17.08 to 31.17 with 31 excellent (34%), 49 good (54%) and 10 poor results (12%). The final UCLA score was 31.47 in the group less than 60 years of age and 30.69 in the group over 61 years of age (p=0.344). The UCLA score was 31.23 in those with medium-sized tears and 31.11 in those with large-sized tears (p=0.924). The UCLA score was 31.10 in non-trauma patients and 31.23 in trauma patients (p=0.929). Conclusion: Arthroscopic repair of a full-thickness rotator cuff tear using a suture bridge technique can produce excellent clinical results. These outcomes are not affected by age or trauma history.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.276-286
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• 2023

Background: The transosseous anchorless repair (ToR) technique was recently introduced to avoid suture anchor-related problems. While favorable outcomes of the ToR technique have been reported, no previous studies on peri-implant cyst formation with the ToR technique exist. Therefore, this study compared the clinical outcomes and prevalence of peri-implant cyst formation between the ToR technique and the conventional transosseous equivalent technique using suture anchors (SA). Methods: Cases with arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) between 2016 and 2018 treated with the double-row suture bridge technique were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into ToR and SA groups. To compare clinical outcomes, 19 ToR and 57 SA cases without intraoperative implant failure were selected using propensity score matching (PSM). While intraoperative implant failure rate was analyzed before PSM, retear rate, peri-implant cyst formation rate, and functional outcomes were compared after PSM. Results: The intraoperative implant failure rate (ToR, 8% vs. SA, 15.3%) and retear rate (ToR, 5.3% vs. SA, 19.3%) did not differ between the two groups (all P>0.05). However, peri-implant cysts were not observed in the ToR group, while they were observed in 16.7% of the SA group (P=0.008). Postoperative functional outcomes were not significantly different between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions: The ToR technique produced comparable clinical outcomes to conventional techniques. Considering the prospect of potential additional surgeries, the absence of peri-implant cyst formation might be an advantage of ToR. Furthermore, ToR might reduce the medical costs related to suture anchors and, thereby, could be a useful option for ARCR. Level of evidence: III.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.444-449
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• 2020

An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) avulsion fracture is an uncommon injury that occurs predominantly in the pediatric and adolescent population. Accurate reduction and fixation of an avulsed fragment are necessary to restore and maintain the length of the ACL and normal knee biomechanics. Several techniques are available to repair an ACL avulsion fracture. On the other hand, treatment is controversial in skeletally immature patients due to risk of physeal injury. This paper reports a case of an ACL avulsed fracture in a skeletally immature patient treated with arthroscopic all-inside suture bridge repair, in which an excellent result and firm stability were obtained without physeal injury.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.98-103
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• 2012

The repair technique of rotator cuff tear has been markedly developed in recent years. When the natural history of rotator cuff tear was followed, the size of rotator cuff tear increased with time. The fatty infiltration which would come at the later period of rotator cuff tear and the rotator cuff tear arthropathy which would be occurred after massive rotator cuff tear may be the important factors in predicting the prognosis of rotator cuff tear or determining the timing of surgery. Because moderate supraspinatus fatty infiltration appeared an average of 3 years after onset of symptoms, the repair of rotator cuff tear was recommended to be performed before that. And if there was massive rotator cuff tear with cuff tear arthropathy, it was recommended that the rotator cuff repair should be performed before the occurrence of the narrowing of acromiohumeral interval. The techniques of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were mainly the single row repair and the double row repair. The former is good in view of time consuming and cost, but the latter is superior in view of biomechanics. To maintain the benefit in biomechanics of double row technique and reduce the time of surgery, the suture-bridge technique was invented and widely used recently. There are several modified techniques in arthroscopic suture-bridge technique according to the characteristics of rotator cuff tear.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 2020

Purpose: To examine the clinical and structural outcomes of an at least two-year follow-up of arthroscopic full-thickness rotator cuff repairs with a single-row or suture-bridge technique in patients more than 65 years of age. Materials and Methods: Patients diagnosed with a full-thickness rotator cuff tear who were more than 65 years of age, underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair after at least six months of conservative treatment, agreed to take a follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) six months postoperatively, and visited outpatient for at least two years were enrolled in this study. Clinical evaluations were done using The University of California Los Angeles score, Constant Shoulder Score, and visual analogue scale evaluated two years after the surgery. The structural integrity was analyzed using follow-up MRI. During surgery, a suture-bridge technique was used if the rotator cuff tendon could cover half of the footprint under constant tension. Otherwise, single-row repair was performed. Results: The samples were 158 cases, consisting of 93 single-repairs and 65 suture-bridge repairs. A preoperative comparison of the age distribution, fatty degeneration of supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscle, medial retraction of torn cuff tendon, and tear size between the two groups were not significant. The clinical scores were improved significantly in all cases. The distribution of the structural integrity by Sugaya classification were 49 cases in type 1 (31.0%), 62 cases in type 2 (39.2%), 30 cases in type 3 (19.0%), 11 cases in type 4 (7.0%), and six cases in type 5 (3.8%). The re-tear rate of the single-row group was 9.7% (nine out of 93 cases) and 12.3% (eight out of 65 cases) for the suture-bridge group. Conclusion: Satisfactory clinical and radiological outcomes were achieved after arthroscopic full-thickness rotator cuff repair in patients more than 65 years of age. Both single-row and suture-bridge techniques would be beneficial for the elderly.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.51-58
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• 2016

The arthroscopic rotator cuff repair is now considered a mainstream technique with highly satisfactory clinical results. However, concerns remain regarding healing failures for large and massive tears and high revision rate. In recent decades, various repair strategies and construct configurations have been developed for rotator cuff repair with the understanding that many factors contribute to the structural integrity of the repaired construct. The focus of biomechanical test in arthroscopic repair has been on increasing fixation strength and restoration of the footprint contact characteristics to provide early rehabilitation and improve healing. These include repaired rotator cuff tendon-footprint motion, increased tendon-footprint contact area and pressure, and tissue quality of tendon and bone. Recent studies have shown that a transosseous tunnel technique provides improved contact area and pressure between rotator cuff tendon and insertion footprint, and the technique of using double rows of suture anchors to recreate the native footprint attachment has been recently described. The transosseous equivalent suture bridge technique has the highest contact pressure and fixation force. In this review, the biomechanical tests about repair techniques of rotator cuff tear will be reviewed and discussed.

• The Academic Congress of Korean Shoulder and Elbow Society
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• 2009.03a
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• pp.81-81
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• 2009

• The Academic Congress of Korean Shoulder and Elbow Society
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• 2008.03a
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• pp.125-126
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• 2008

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2013

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical results of arthroscopic repair with Ulsan University - Mason Allen - Suture Bridge (UU MA SB) stitch for the full thickness rotator cuff tear. Materials and Methods: Fifteen patients with full thickness rotator cuff tear underwent arthroscopic repair with UU MA SB stitch between September 2010 and December 2010. Clinical and functional evaluations were made according to Korean shoulder score (KSS), American shoulder and elbow surgeon (ASES), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), visual anabgue scale (VAS) and the range of motion. Results: The mean KSS improved from 51.4 preoperatively to 92.0 at final follow-up (p<0.05). The mean UCLA score improved from 15.07 preoperatively to 31.93 postoperatively, the mean VAS of pain during the motion was 7.2 before treatment and 0.93 at final follow-up (p<0.001). At last follow-up, the mean range of motion was improved but they had not shown statistical significance (p>0.05). Conclusion: The arthroscopic repair with UU MA SB stitch may be an effective procedure in the full thickness rotator cuff tear for pain relief and improvement of the range of motion.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.179-182
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• 2009

Purpose: Point fixation at the margin of the glenoid is a limitation of conventional arthroscopic stabilization using suture anchors, and does not afford sufficient footprint healing, especially in glenoid bone deficiency. So, we introduce an arthroscopic suture bridge transosseous-equivalent technique for bony Bankart lesions to avoid the technical disadvantage of point contact with anchor fixation and to improve mechanical stability through cross compression of the labrum. Surgical approach: The technique was adapted from the transosseous-equivalent rotator cuff repair technique using suture bridges, which improved the pressurized contact area and mean pressure between the tendon and footprint. After preparation of the glenoid bed by removal, reshaping, or mobilization of the bony lesion, two anchors (3.0 mm Biofastak, $Arthrex^{(R)}$, Naples, FL) were inserted into the superior and inferior portion of the bony Bankart lesion. Using a suture hook, medial mattress sutures were applied around the capsulolabral portion of the IGHL complex to obtain sufficient depth of glenoid coverage. A 3.5 mm pushloc anchor ($Arthrex^{(R)}$, Naples, FL) hole was made in the articular edge of the anterior glenoid rim. distal, suture bridge was applied, and proximal was inserted to mobilize the labrum in the proximal direction. This avoided the technical disadvantage of point contact with anchor fixation and decreased the level of gap formation through cross-compression of the labrum.