Assessment of the Postoperative Appearance of the Rotator Cuff Tendon Using Serial Sonography After Arthroscopic Repair of a Rotator Cuff Tear

作者：Yoo Hye Jin; Choi Ja Young^*; Hong Sung Hwan; Kang Yusuhn; Park Jina; Kim Sae Hoon; Kang Heung Sik

来源：Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, 2015, 34(7): 1183-1190.

DOI：10.7863/ultra.34.7.1183

• arthroscopic tendon repair
• musculoskeletal ultrasound
• rotator cuff
• sonography

Objectives-The purpose of this study was to evaluate serial changes in sonographic findings of a rotator cuff tendon after rotator cuff repair.
Methods Sixty-five arthroscopically repaired rotator cuff tears (43 full-thickness tears and 22 partial-thickness tears) were retrospectively included in this study. Serial sonographic examinations were performed at 5 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery. The sonographic findings of the repaired tendon were assessed for a recurrent tear, tendon thickness, morphologic tendon characteristics, vascularity, and bursitis at each time point.
Results Four recurrent tears occurred within 3 months of surgery. The postoperative tendon thickness decreased from 5 weeks to 6 months after surgery (P = .001). There were significant changes in the morphologic tendon characteristics, including the echo texture, fibrillar pattern, and surface irregularity of the repaired tendon, from 5 weeks to 6 months after surgery (P < .001). Additionally, subacromial-subdeltoid bursitis and the vascularity of the repaired tendon decreased postoperatively over time.
Conclusions Serial sonography after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair was useful for monitoring the postoperative changes in a repaired tendon. The morphologic appearance of the repaired tendon and peritendinous soft tissue changes improved over time and nearly normalized within 6 months of surgery.

• 出版日期2015-7