The possibilities for surgical treatment of massive, irreparable rotator cuff tears

Abstract

Introduction. Surgical repair of rotator cuff injuries is one of the most common procedures performed on the shoulder joint. Reconstruction of massive and irreparable ruptures and re-damage is still a challenging task. Many authors talk about the need to use joint-saving technologies, including minimally invasive interventions using arthroscopic techniques. Tendon-muscular transposition, reconstruction of the superior capsule, implantation of graft-augments and subacromial balloon spacer are discussed. Purpose of the study. We plan to study and identify the most promising methods of surgical treatment of massive, irreparable injuries of the rotator cuff. Materials and methods. Surgical outcomes for unrepairable rotator cuff tears published from 1993 to 2023 were reviewed. Materials from the GoogleScholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, RSCI databases were used. The results of the analysis are distributed according to the main types of surgical techniques. Results. In our opinion, the most relevant is the integration of known techniques in the surgery of irreparable rotator cuff tears. The combined use of different methods will eliminate the disadvantages. Researchers believe that the use of a subacromial balloon spacer is a damper for rotator cuff sutures or tendon-muscular transpositions.