Abstract
Background: Current research shows that the anterior cable plays an essential role in rotator cuff tissue. To determine whether the distance between the supraspinatus central tendon and the long head of the biceps tendon, on a sagittal shoulder MRI scan, can predict anterior cable injury in rotator cuff tear patients before surgery. Method: A retrospective MRI scan was performed and a review of 103 patients with a rotator cuff tear – 50 patients with anterior cable injury and 53 patients without anterior cable injury. The distance between the supraspinatus central tendon and the biceps tendon’s long head was measured based on a sagittal MRI scan, and the tear size, degree of tear, and fatty degeneration of supraspinatus was also reviewed. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis of the relevant data. Two Independent Samples t-Test, binary logistics regression and receiver operating curve were also performed to evaluate select parameters.Results: The distance between the supraspinatus central tendon and the long head of the biceps tendon (DTD) was bigger in the anterior cable disrupted group (10.05±2.73 mm) when compared to the intact anterior cable group (7.96±2.30 mm) with a significant difference (P<0.01) Moreover, patients in the anterior cable disrupted group were of an older age, and there was a larger tear size and a worsened tear condition (P<0.05). Binary logistics regression t-Test showed that DTD is associated with anterior cable disruption. The receiver operating curve t-Test showed that DTD had an area under the curve of 75%. When setting the cut off value as 9 mm, DTD can predict anterior cable injury with a 74% sensitivity and 73.6% specificity. Conclusion: Compared with intact anterior cable patients, patients with anterior cable injury showed worsened tear condition and a larger distance between the supraspinatus central tendon and the long head of the biceps tendon, based on the oblique sagittal position of the MRI shoulder scan. Therefore, it may be a new tool for helping predict anterior rotator cable disruption in patients without obvious retraction.Trial registration: retrospectively registered
Augmentation of the long head of the biceps tendon for irreparable massive rotator cuff tear