Lz. Payne et al., ARTHROSCOPIC TREATMENT OF PARTIAL ROTATOR CUFF TEARS IN YOUNG ATHLETES - A PRELIMINARY-REPORT, American journal of sports medicine, 25(3), 1997, pp. 299-305
Forty-three athletes under age 40, more than half of which were colleg
iate or professional, with partial rotator cuff tears were treated art
hroscopically and observed for a minimum of 24 months. By history and
mechanism of injury, two main groups were identified, Group A had 14 p
atients with acute, traumatic injuries. All 14 had inflamed subacromia
l bursas, but increased glenohumeral translation and labral lesions we
re uncommon. Twelve patients (86%) had satisfactory postoperative resu
lts and nine (64%) returned to preinjury sports after arthroscopic sub
acromial decompression and tear debridement, Group B had 29 overhead a
thletes with insidious, atraumatic shoulder pain, They were not as suc
cessful with debridement (19 [66%] satisfactory and 13 [45%] return to
preinjury sports), Within Group B, three subgroups were identified ba
sed on the examination under anesthesia and subacromial inflammation.
Group B1 (8 patients) had normal-appearing subacromial spaces and ofte
n increased anterior glenohumeral translation with posterior labral te
ars. These patients did poorly after arthroscopic tear debridement (3
[38%] satisfactory and 2 [25%] return to sports), Group B2 (12 patient
s) had inflamed subacromial bursas and increased glenohumeral translat
ion. This group had marginal results with debridement (7 [58%] satisfa
ctory and 6 [50%] return to sports). Group B3 (9 patients) with subacr
omial inflammation, yet without increased glenohumeral translation, ha
d excellent pain relief (100%) but less than half (4) returned to prei
njury sports.