Arthroscopic suprascapular neurotomy for the painful irreparable rotator cuff tear

Abstract

Background

Massive irreparable rotator cuff tears are becoming increasingly difficult to manage.

Methods

Patients were considered for treatment if they had a painful shoulder in the presence of a compensated cuff tear. All patients had radiological evidence of a massive irreparable cuff tear and underwent suprascapular neurotomy, arthroscopically.

Results

There were 15 males and 25 females with a mean age of 74 years (range 59 years to 88 years). The mean pre-operative Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS) in all patients was 17.7, with a mean pre-operative visual analogue score (VAS) of 8.0. The mean post-operative OSS was 30.8 [27.42–34.18 = confidence interval (CI) 95%] with a mean VAS of 3.6 (2.64–4.56 CI 95%) at the 3-month (short-term) period (n = 32). The medium-term (1-year) OSS and VAS had improved to 33.6 (32.27–34.93 = CI 95%) and 3.7 (0–8.39 CI 95%) respectively (n = 26). The difference pre- and postoperatively at 12 months was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Patients who underwent biceps tenotomy at the time of surgery had a less significant improvement in their VAS and OSS.

Conclusions

Suprascapular neurotomy can afford medium-term benefit in over two-thirds of the patients who would otherwise have undergone reverse polarity shoulder replacements. We consider that this is a reproducible technique.