• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 2002

Purpose : To compare and analyze the results of arthroscopic subacromial decompression and rotator cuff repair between partial rotator cuff tear and complete rotator cuff tear. Material and Methods : The authors studied 42 patients of rotator cuff tear with operation and followed over one year at Dankook university hospital from September, 1998 to March, 2001 The patient average age is 53 years and follow up period is 23 months (12-42mon1hs). We obtained 22 cases in the partial rotator cuff tear group and 20 cases in the complete rotator cuff tear group. In all cases, we used ASES methods to evaluated pain scale and function. Result : In the last follow up patients, the pain scale is decreased from 7.2 to 0.9 (ASES method : 34 to 91) in the partial rotator cuff tear group and from 7.6 to 1.2 (ASES method . 29 to 88) in the complete rotator cuff tear group, but there was no evidence of statistical difference between two groups (P>0.05). The range of motion after operation were increased in two groups. Excellent to good results were obtained 93％ and 95％ patients had pain relief and satisfied function. Conclusion : Arthroscopic subacromial decompression and arthroscopic rotator cuff repair showed good results for both of (ult-thickness and partial thickness rotator cuff tear patients in pain relief and improving the function.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.209-217
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• 2014

Most studies on the pathophysiology, natural history, diagnosis by imaging and outcomes after operative or nonoperative treatment of rotator cuff tear have focused on those of full-thickness tears, resulting in limited knowledge of partial-thickness rotator cuff tears. However, a partial-thickness tear of the rotator cuff is a common disorder and can be the cause of persistent pain and dysfunction of the shoulder joint in the affected patients. Recent updates in the literatures shows that the partial-thickness tears are not merely mild form of full-thickness tears. Over the last decades, an improved knowledge of pathophysiology and surgical techniques of partial-thickness tears has led to more understanding of the significance of this tear and better outcomes. In this review, we discuss the current concept of management for partial-thickness tears in terms of the pathogenesis, natural history, nonoperative treatment, and surgical outcomes associated with the commonly used repair techniques.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.44-47
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• 2014

Typically, massive rotator cuff tears have stiff and retracted tendon with poor muscle quality, in such cases orthopaedic surgeons are confronted with big challenging to restore the cuff to its native footprint. Furthermore, even with some restoration of the footprint, it is related with a high re-tear rate due to less tension free repair and less tendon coverage. In this tough circumstance, the partial repair has yielded satisfactory outcomes at relatively short follow-up by re-creating the transverse force couple of the rotator cuff. Through this partial repair, the massive rotator cuff tear can be converted to the "functional rotator cuff tear" and provide improvement in pain and functional outcomes in patient's shoulder.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.186-190
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• 2001

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of Neer, Hawkins provocative tests and supraspinatus manual muscle test for the assessment of impingement syndrome, partial tear and small complete tear of De rotator cuff. Materials and Methods: Seventy-one female and 115 male patients were included in the study. Patients were divided into four groups of no impingement, impingement without tear, partial tear and small complete tear of the rotator cuff, which were confirmed by sonogram, magnetic resonance imaging and surgery. Neer and Hawkins provocative tests and supraspinatus manual muscle test were performed respectively. SAS 6.12 version was used in statistical analysis. Results: We found that Neer test had 94% sensitivity, 54% specificity for impingement without tear and 89% sensitivity, 78% specificity for partial tear and 96% sensitivity, 23% specificity for small tear. Hawkins test revealed 95% sensitivity, 54% specificity for impingement without tear and 93% sensitivity, 78% specificity for partial tear and 100% sensitivity, 23% specificity for small tear. Supraspinatus manual muscle test revealed 27% sensitivity, 94% specificity for impingement without tear and 29% sensitivity, 82% specificity for partial tear and 48% sensitivity, 82% specificity for small tear. Conclusion: Neer and Hawkins tests have high sensitivity, low specificity for impingement syndrome, partial and small tear. Supraspinatus manual muscle test had low sensitivity and high specificity. However this test was not effective to differentiate the partial and small rotator cuff tear. We thought that more effective provocative test should be designed to detect the partial and small rotator cuff tear.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.145-150
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• 2014

In the patients of retracted massive rotator cuff tears, there are much of difficulty to functional recovery and pain relief. Nevertheless the development of treatment, there are still debates of the best treatments in the massive rotator cuff tears. Recenlty various of treatments are introduced; these are acromioplasty with debridement, biceps tenotomy, great tuberoplasty with biceps tenotomy, partial repair, mini-open rotator cuff repair, arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, soft tissue augmentation, tendon transfer, flap, hemiarthroplasty, and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. That there is no difference of result for reverse total shoulder arthroplasty between patients who have massive rotator cuff tear without arthritis and patients who have cuff tear arthropathy. Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty is one of reliable and successful treatment options for massive rotator cuff tear. Especially it is more effective for patients who have a pseudoparalysis.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.266-277
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• 1998

Forty-nine partial thickness rotator cuff tears underwent arthroscopic debridement or repair, and were followed up for a minimum of two years. Follow-up evaluations of the results were completed using a detailed functional questionnaire which was comprised of a rating of the UCLA shoulder scale and return to the previous sports activity and job. The average age of the 49 study patients was 46.5 years(range, 14 to 67 years). The patients were divided into four groups on the basis of the onset of the patient's symptoms. Thirty-five patients(72%) had partial tearing only on the articular surface, six(12%) on the bursal surface, and eight(16%) on both surfaces. Group I consisted of 21 patients with an average age of 56.7. Partial tearing in group I was attributed to the impingement syndrome. In group II, partial tearing of the rotator cuff was related to the anterior instability of the shoulder. This group included 9 patients with an average age of 27.9. In group III, all of the 8 patients were overhead athletes with an average age of 21.8. In this group, no isolated instances of significant trauma were related to the development of the shoulder pain. In group IV, 11 patients noted that a significant traumatic event preceded the onset of their pain. The average age of the patients was 34.9. Overall, 82% of the patients demonstrated satisfactory results and 18% revealed unsatisfactory results. The worst UCLA score and rate of return to the prior activity was noted in group III. In conclusion, partial thickness rotator cuff tear can be caused by subacromial impingement, instability, repetitive microtrauma, and macrotrauma. Arthroscopic debridement of partial tear of the rotator cuff provides a favorable outcome except in overhead athletes.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.80-85
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• 2020

Background: Atelocollagen has been studied for restoration of rotator cuff tendon. In this study, we attempted to evaluate the clinical outcome of ultrasound-guided atelocollagen injection in an outpatient clinic for patients with partial rotator cuff tear. Methods: We recruited 42 outpatients who visited our hospital from May 2019 to September 2019. Atelocollagen injection was performed in patients with partial rotator cuff tear diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound. American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), Constant, Korean Shoulder Score (KSS) and Simple Shoulder Test (SST) scores, and range of motion were assessed before injection and after 2 months. Statistically, we analyzed the clinical results using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: Finally, 15 patients were enrolled for analysis. There was no significant difference between pre- and post-injection in terms of range of motion, ASES (57.0 vs. 60.4), Constant (56.4 vs. 58.9), KSS (64.6 vs. 68.5), and pain-visual analog scale (4.2 vs. 3.7), except function-visual analog scale (F-VAS; 6.3 vs. 7.1) and SST (6.6 vs. 6.9). A significant difference was found in SST (P=0.046) and F-VAS (P=0.009). According to the ultrasound results at 2 months, we found hyperechoic materials in three of seven patients. The most common complication of atelocollagen injection was post-injection pain (53%, 8/15). Conclusions: Ultrasound-guided atelocollagen injection for partial rotator cuff tear showed no significant change in terms of clinical outcomes, except for F-vas and SST score. Tendon regeneration was not clear due to the remnants of atelocollagen present at 2-month follow-up ultrasound. There seems to be alarming post-injection pain for 2 to 3 days in the patients who received atelocollagen injection in an outpatient clinic.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.53-62
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of muscle strengthening exercise on shoulder function and pain for rotator cuff tear patients. Method: The subjects of this study, partial tear of the rotator cuff diagnosed patients, twelve patients were picked up, who were agreed with this research. The twelve patients received muscle strengthening exercise for 4 weeks, which consisted of 5 times per week, 40 min of supervised exercise program. Shoulder function and pain, measured by ROM, CMS, SST, PPT and VAS. Result: In comparison of VAS, PPT and ROM, CMS, SST were showed a more improved after intervention. Conclusion: Therefore, muscle strengthening exercise is useful to improve the shoulder function and pain for rotator cuff tear patients.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.72-79
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• 2003

Purpose: To compare the results of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and subacromial decompression in partial thickness rotator cuff tear (PTRCT) with those in full thickness rotator cuff tear (FTRCT). Subjects and method: Of the 46 patients who were rested of the rotator cuff tear based on the operational findings, 42 patients who were able to receive a serial follow-up for 2 years were selected as the study subjects. The average age of the patients at the time of the operation was 55 years, and the mean duration of the follow-up was 34 months. The subjects included 22 cases of PTRCT and 20 cases of FTRCT. In terms of rotator cuff repair, the average number of tendon to tendon repair (TTR) was 1 in both PTRCT and FTRCT, and that of tendon to bone repair (TBR) was 1 and 3 in PTRCT and FTRCT, respectively. The average number of use of suture anchor was 1 and 2 in PTRCT and FTRCT, respectively. The level of shoulder pain and function of the subjects were measured using shoulder functional evaluation score of American shoulder and elbow society (ASES score) at before and 2 years following the operation. Results: At the final follow-up following the operation, PTRCT group showed changes in scores from 7.2 to 0.9 on average pain score and 34 to 91 on ASES score, whereas FTRCT group showed changes in scores from 7.6 to 1.2 on pain score and 29 to 88 on ASES score. There were no significant differences between the two groups (P > 0.05). The average range of motion of shoulder significantly increased in both groups at the final follow-up in comparison with the pre-operative time point. The evaluation at the final follow-up showed that 93% of the total subjects showed good or excellent results, and 95％ showed satisfactory results from the procedure with regard to pain reduction and functional outcomes. Two cases of the 3 fair results were caused by acromioclavicular arthritis. Conclusion: It may be anticipated that arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and subacromial decompression may bring satisfactory post-operative outcomes in both PTRCT and FTRCT on pain relief and functional recovery. However, careful preoperative examination of the acromioclavicular joint is critical to avoid failures of these procedures.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.139-145
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• 2019

Background: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the relationship between location of the rotator cuff tear and shape of the subacromial spur. Methods: Totally, 80 consecutive patients who underwent arthroscopic repair for partial thickness rotator cuff tear were enrolled for the study. Bigliani's type of the acromion, type of subacromial spur, and location of partial thickness tear of the rotator cuff were evaluated using plain X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging. We then compared the groups of no spur with spur, and heel with traction spur. Results: Of the 80 cases, 25 cases comprised the no spur group, and 55 cases comprised the spur group. There was a significant difference in type of tear (p=0.0004) between these two groups. Bursal side tears were significantly greater (odds ratio=6.000, p=0.0007) in the spur group. Subjects belonging to the spur group were further divided into heel (38 cases) and traction spur (17 cases). Comparing these two groups revealed significant differences only in the type of tear (p=0.0001). Furthermore, the heel spur had significantly greater bursal side tear (odds ratio=29.521, p=0.0005) as compared to traction spur. Conclusions: The heel spur is more associated to bursal side tear than the traction spur, whereas the traction spur associates greater to the articular side tear.