Arthroscopic Repair Of Partial Thickness Articular Side Rotator Cuff Tears Using Transtendon Versus Conversion Repair Techniques

This study aims to compare the functional results of patients who underwent two different arthroscopic methods for the management of articular-sided partial-thickness rotator cuff tears (PT-RCTs).

The present study aims to compare the functional results following the repair of PT-RCTs using the conversion versus the trastendon techniques

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Rotator Cuff Tears
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: arthroscopic repair of partial rotator cuff tear using the conversion versus the transtendon technique

Detailed Description

This is a prospective randomized study carried out at a tertiary trauma center between October 2022 and June 2023. The research ethical Committee authorized this study protocol [(Institutional Review Board (IRB) number: N-383-2023)], and all participants signed an informed consent prior to joining the study. This study included 50 patients with PT-RCTs who underwent arthroscopic repair using either the conversion technique (25 patients) in group A or the transtendon technique (25 patients) in group B. The random assignment of all patients to enter either group was computerized using simple randomization.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 50
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Cairo
    • Giza, Cairo, Egypt
      • Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

The inclusion criteria were:

• Patients suffering symptomatic PT-RCTs exceeding 50% of the tendon thickness, documented by preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and confirmed by arthroscopy intraoperative.
• Failure of nonoperative management for at least 3 months.

The exclusion criteria were:

• Prior shoulder surgery.
• Severe concomitant pathologies including glenohumeral arthritis, advanced subscapularis tear, and biceps tendon rupture.
• Associated Bankart lesion.
• Patients with uncontrolled Diabetes mellites.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: The Conversion repair technique: Group A; arthroscopic repair of partial rotator cuff tear using the conversion technique	Procedure: arthroscopic repair of partial rotator cuff tear using the conversion versus the transtendon technique; arthroscopic repair of partial rotator cuff tear using the conversion versus the transtendon technique
Experimental: The Transtendon repair technique: Group B; arthroscopic repair of partial rotator cuff tear using the transtendon technique	Procedure: arthroscopic repair of partial rotator cuff tear using the conversion versus the transtendon technique; arthroscopic repair of partial rotator cuff tear using the conversion versus the transtendon technique

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score	shoulder score, the maximum is 100, the minimum is zero, a higher score means a better outcome	baseline, and 18 months after surgery
Constant and Murley score	shoulder score, the maximum is 100, the minimum is zero, a higher score means a better outcome	baseline, and 18 months after surgery

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Visual analogue scale	pain score, the minimum is zero, the maximum is 10, the higher score means worse outcome	baseline, and 18 months after surgery

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Cairo University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: mohamed H khalil, M.D, Cairo university

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Yang Y, Hu D, Chen S, Guan S, Shang X. Transtendon technique versus repair after completion of the tear for articular-sided partial rotator cuff tear: a meta-analysis of comparative studies. J Orthop Surg Res. 2023 May 22;18(1):378. doi: 10.1186/s13018-023-03831-4.
• Thamrongskulsiri N, Limskul D, Itthipanichpong T, Tanpowpong T, Kuptniratsaikul S. Similar outcomes between transtendon repair and tear completion repair techniques for partial articular-sided supraspinatus tendon avulsion lesions: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2023 Oct;31(10):4575-4584. doi: 10.1007/s00167-023-07502-z. Epub 2023 Jul 15.
• Sun L, Zhang Q, Ge H, Sun Y, Cheng B. Which is the best repair of articular-sided rotator cuff tears: a meta-analysis. J Orthop Surg Res. 2015 May 28;10:84. doi: 10.1186/s13018-015-0224-6.
• Shin SJ. A comparison of 2 repair techniques for partial-thickness articular-sided rotator cuff tears. Arthroscopy. 2012 Jan;28(1):25-33. doi: 10.1016/j.arthro.2011.07.005. Epub 2011 Oct 14.
• Castagna A, Borroni M, Garofalo R, Rose GD, Cesari E, Padua R, Conti M, Gumina S. Deep partial rotator cuff tear: transtendon repair or tear completion and repair? A randomized clinical trial. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2015 Feb;23(2):460-3. doi: 10.1007/s00167-013-2536-6. Epub 2013 May 21.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 1, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 31, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): December 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 6, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 10, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 10, 2025
• Last Verified: March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Partial thickness rotator cuff tear; Transtendon technique; conversion technique.
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Shoulder Injuries; Wounds and Injuries; Rupture; Tendon Injuries; Rotator Cuff Injuries
• Other Study ID Numbers: N-383-2023

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