Association Between the Postoperative Condition of the Subscapularis Tendon and Clinical Outcomes After Superior Capsular Reconstruction Using Autologous Tensor Fascia Lata in Patients With Pseudoparalytic Shoulder

Abstract

Background:

Superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) has been performed for irreparable rotator cuff tear and pseudoparalytic shoulder (PPS); however, poor clinical outcomes have occasionally been reported. Previous studies have shown that the cause of poor clinical results was mainly graft rupture; however, poor clinical outcomes have also been observed in some cases even though the graft was not ruptured.

Hypothesis/Purpose:

We hypothesized that the subscapularis (SSC) tendon would be an important factor affecting clinical outcomes after SCR. The purpose was to clarify the correlation between the condition of the SSC tendon and clinical outcomes after SCR in patients with PPS.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

This retrospective cohort study included 27 patients who had undergone SCR for PPS performed by 1 surgeon between June 2014 and July 2017. The 27 patients were divided into 3 groups for evaluation: group A (n = 12), irreparable supraspinatus (SSP) and infraspinatus (ISP) tears but intact SSC tendon; group B (n = 11), irreparable SSP and ISP tears and repairable SSC tear; and group C (n = 4), irreparable SSP, ISP, and SSC tears. We evaluated the preoperative and postoperative ranges of motion (ROMs; active flexion, abduction, external rotation, and internal rotation), the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form score, and graft condition on magnetic resonance imaging at 12 months postoperatively. All data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and Fisher exact tests, and P < .05 was considered significant.

Results:

Postoperative flexion, abduction, and internal rotation ROMs were significantly lower in group C than in groups A and B (flexion: 70.0° ± 17.8° vs 153.3° ± 14.3° and 154.5° ± 14.3°, P = .003 and P = .003, respectively; abduction: 67.5° ± 15° vs 148.3° ± 22.5° and 140° ± 29.3°, P = .003 and P = .004, respectively; internal rotation: L4 vs Th10 and Th11, P = .005 and P = .008, respectively). All 23 patients in groups A and B were able to recover from PPS; however, no patient recovered from PPS in group C.

Conclusion:

The present study suggests that the SSC tendon is the important factor for achieving good clinical outcomes after SCR in patients with PPS. When the SSC tendon was irreparable, SCR was not an effective treatment for patients with PPS.