ARTHROSCOPIC TREATMENT OF PARTIAL ROTATOR CUFF TEARS IN YOUNG ATHLETES - A PRELIMINARY-REPORT

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.