Transitioning to arthroscopic rotator cuff repair: the pros and cons.

Full Abstract

There has been much recent enthusiasm regarding complete arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, and it is becoming apparent that, for many, this newer technique may be a preferable alternative to the more traditional mini-open rotator cuff repair. Several short-term studies have demonstrated that complete arthroscopic repair has excellent results comparable with those of mini-open repair, which is also an excellent technique. The choice of which procedure may be better for an individual patient or surgeon can be based on a variety of considerations, including the patient's expectations, the pathoanatomy of the cuff, and the surgical experience of the surgeon. The relative merits and disadvantages of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair are discussed on the basis of those considerations. When a surgeon is deciding which procedure to perform, it is important that the basic principles of rotator cuff repair not be compromised and that he or she perform the procedure that is most reproducible given his or her level of experience; however, for those who are now utilizing miniopen repair, arthroscopic repair may have important advantages and may be worth pursuing in the future. If a surgeon chooses to obtain the skills necessary to perform a complete arthroscopic repair, performance of the mini-open procedure offers an excellent opportunity to make an orderly transition.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Yamaguchi, Ken (K); Levine, William N (WN); Marra, Guido (G); Galatz, Leesa M (LM); Klepps, Steven (S); Flatow, Evan L (EL);

Affiliation: Shoulder and Elbow Service, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Review

Journal: Instructional course lectures (Instr Course Lect), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-; vol 52 (issue ) : pp 81-92

Dates: Created 2003/04/14; Completed 2003/05/06; Revised 2005/11/16;

PMID: 12690842, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Patient Selection
Rotator Cuff - injuries; surgery
Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive
Suture Techniques

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

See 100+ related articles.