Comparison of Two Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair Techniques: Knot-tying Versus Knotless Suture-bridge Technique

July 25, 2020 updated by: Koray Sahin

Comparison of Repair Integrity and Functional Outcomes Between Knot-tying and Knotless Suture-bridge Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: a Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial

Suture-bridge technique has been widely used for rotator cuff tears with many studies showing superior clinical results and lower failure rates compared to other techniques. This study aims to compare clinical outcomes and radiological integrity of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair between knot-tying and knotless suture-bridge techniques. The possibility of tendon strangulation and necrosis at the medial row when performing a suture-bridge technique may lead to retear and structural failure. In order to avoid this complication, the knots used at the medial row and their tension might be a factor to consider. Our hypothesis is that a knotless suture-bridge technique might avoid tendon strangulation thus might have lower retear rates.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

This study has been planned as a prospective randomized clinical trial. We used a completely computer-generated list in order to randomize all participants to receive one of two treatments (https://www.random.org/sequences/).

Rotator cuff tear diagnosis will be made by physical examination and magnetic resonance imaging. Participants who agree to be enrolled to study will be examined one day prior to surgery. Half of the participants will undergo an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with knot-tying suture-bridge technique, while the other half will receive a knotless suture-bridge technique. All the surgeries will be performed by the same senior surgeon experienced in shoulder surgery under general anesthesia with participant in beach-chair position.

All participants will receive a standard postoperative rehabilitation program starting immediately after surgery with active elbow and passive shoulder exercises. The operated upper extremity will be placed in a sling for 6 weeks. Active-assisted exercises will be started at 6 weeks postoperatively.

Postoperative evaluations will be performed regularly at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months postoperatively and each following year. The results of last follow-up will be analyzed. To assess repair integrity and tendon healing, a postoperative magnetic resonance imaging scan will be performed to all participants at 6 months postoperatively. The results of prospective clinical follow-up data and radiological evaluation will be analyzed in order to compare clinical outcomes, failure rates and patterns of knot-tying and knotless suture-bridge arthroscopic rotator cuff repair techniques.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

104

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Fatih
      • Istanbul, Fatih, Turkey, 34093
        • Istanbul University Istanbul Medical Faculty Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Full thickness rotator cuff tear repaired by arthroscopic suture-bridge technique

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Partial thickness rotator cuff tear
  • Presence of a full thickness subscapularis tear that requires a repair
  • History of a neurological disease
  • Presence of severe glenohumeral or acromioclavicular arthritis
  • Presence of a metal implant which prevents magnetic resonance imaging scan
  • Tears repaired with other techniques
  • Revision surgeries

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Knotless suture-bridge technique
All participants in this arm will undergo an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with knotless suture-bridge technique.

A posterior portal will be established to obtain adequate visualization and an anterior portal will be established through rotator interval as a working portal for diagnostic arthroscopy and debridement. Then additional portals will be established and preperation of tendon will be performed and a burr will be used for footprint preperation.

After determination of proper anchor locations, required number of suture anchors will be inserted just lateral to articular margin depending on the tear size. Then limbs of sutures will be passed from the rotator cuff and will be used to create a suture bridge over the tendon. Then these limbs will be loaded to anchors which will form the lateral row without tying the suture limbs at the medial row. These lateral anchors will be inserted to adequate location, just lateral and distal to greater tuberosity with adequate suture-bridge tension over the rotator cuff.

Active Comparator: Knot-tying suture-bridge technique
All participants in this arm will undergo an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with knot-tying suture-bridge technique.
After the same preparation procedure as in knotless suture-bridge technique, required number of suture anchors will be inserted just lateral to articular margin depending on the tear size. Then limbs of sutures will be passed from the tendon and tied in a horizontal mattress suture pattern. After the establishment of medial row, suture limbs will be used to form a suture bridge over the tendon and will be loaded to lateral row anchors which then will be inserted lateral to greater tuberosity in a similar way to knotless repair technique.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Sugaya classification of rotator cuff integrity
Time Frame: 6 months postoperatively
This is a classification system described by Sugaya et al. which uses magnetic resonance imaging in order to evaluate tendon integrity after rotator cuff repair. Postoperative cuff integrity is classified into 5 categories: type I, sufficient thickness with homogenously low intensity; type II, sufficient thickness with partial high intensity; type III, insufficient thickness without discontinuity; type IV, presence of minor discontinuity; type V, presence of major discontinuity
6 months postoperatively
Constant shoulder score
Time Frame: Change from baseline Constant shoulder score at 12 months
This is a clinical functional assessment test used for shoulder disorders. The score consists of 4 sections: pain, activities of daily living, mobility and strength.
Change from baseline Constant shoulder score at 12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Shoulder range of motion
Time Frame: Change from baseline range of motion at 12 months
Shoulder abduction, forward flexion, external rotation, internal rotation and extension degrees measured by a goniometer
Change from baseline range of motion at 12 months
Visual analog scale for pain
Time Frame: Change from baseline visual analog scale for pain at 12 months
A visual scale which classifies the intensity of pain between 0-10.
Change from baseline visual analog scale for pain at 12 months
Retear patterns of rotator cuff tendons
Time Frame: 6 months postoperatively
Retear patterns of rotator cuff tendons will be evaluated by using postoperative magnetic resonance images. Detected retears will be classified as type 1 (lateral) or type 2 (medial/musculotendinous) rotator cuff retears/failures.
6 months postoperatively

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Ali Ersen, M.D., Istanbul University Istanbul Medical Faculty

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

May 3, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

July 2, 2020

Study Completion (Actual)

July 2, 2020

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 6, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 7, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

June 11, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 28, 2020

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 25, 2020

Last Verified

July 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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