Purpose of the study: The purpose of this study was to assess the results of surgical repairs in 49 << isolated >> tears of the supra- spinatus in 49 patients, 32 males and 17 females.
Material and methods: The average age at operation was 54,2 years (35 to 72) and the dominant side was injured in 30 patients (12 opposite side and 5 unknown). According to Constant's score the pain was permanent in 23 patients, it occurred at moderate exertion in 21 patients and at important exertion in 5. The average pain duration was 43,4 months (0 to 360 months). The range of motion was normal (40 points) in 24 patients, diminished in 15 (30 points), very diminished (10 points) in 7 and the shoulder was stiff in one patient (2 files were uncomplete). All the patients were disturbed in daily living activity and the strength assessment was disturbed because of the pain. In all cases we performed an anterior acromioplasty. At operation, 39 patients had an isolated tear of the supra-spinatus and 10 an associated tear of the long head of the biceps (7 tendinities, 1 dislocation and 2 ruptures). The size of the rupture was less than 2 cm2 in 21 cases comprised between 2 and 5 cm2 in 27 and greater than 5 cm2 in one case. The surgical procedure was a Neviaser's technique in 4 cases, a single suture in 19, a transosseous suture in 19 and a deltoid muscular flap in 7 cases (large retracted tear), in addition we performed 14 resections of the distal end of the clavicle and 4 tenodesis of the long head of the biceps.
Results: The results were assessed according to Constant's score on 46 patients (3 lost to follow-up), the average follow-up was 31,5 months (12 to 86). The average scores were: pain 12,3 points (3 to 15), range of motion 35,5 (14 to 40), daily living activity 17,4 (8 to 20), and strength 11,4 (<<healthy>> side = 14,8 points). The total Constant's scores were 75,7 per cent (actual score) and 88,3 per cent (weighted score), according to the weighted score 24 patients had 100 per cent; 9 were comprized between 85 and 100, 5 between 65 and 85, and 8 were less than 65 per cent. The average post-operative acromio-humeral height was 9,84 mm (pre-operative height = 11 mm).
Discussion - conclusion: If we compare the results in terms of surgical procedure the difference was not statistically significant although the transosseous suture was not so good: single suture 91,5 per cent, deltoid muscular flap 90,9 per cent, Neviaser's technique 87 per cent, and transosseous suture 79,1 per cent. Nevertheless the results are not so good (p = 0,01) if it is an industrial injury and if the post operative acromio-humeral height is diminished. On the other hand, age, sex, duration of the pain, occupation, tenodesis of the long head of the biceps and resection of the distal end of the clavicle don't have any pejorative influence on the results.