Complete rotator cuff tears - Surgical approach and mid term results.

Questions: What is the mid term result of open rotator cuff repair? What ar e the criteria for a good surgical result? Methods: Between February 1988 a nd December 1993 130 patients (135 shoulders) underwent surgery for rotator cuff repair. All surgical techniques were combined with a acromioplasty - transosseous refixation, transtendinous suture, isolated or combined transf ers of tendons. The retrospective analysis consisted of clinical examinatio n including the Constant score, X-rays and sonograms of the shoulder before and after surgery. Results: 95 patients (98 shoulders) were controlled 4 y ears and 8 months after surgery by clinical, radiological and sonographical examination. 80% of all cases showed good or very good long term results b y chiefly transosseous refixation alone or in combination with tendon trans fer. Analysis of all data made it possible to create simple prognostic crit eria. These criteria can help preoperatively to give an idea, of the expect ed outcome. Conclusion: The best preoperative criteria for a prognostic goo d surgical result were an acromion-humeral head distance in the native true a.p.-X-ray of more than 7 mm, a rotator cuff defect of less than 2 x 3 cm and a passive free range of motion.