Anchor Site Fracture Following Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair – A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Introduction: Fractures at the anchor site following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair are rare and only a few case reports have been described. We report two additional well-documented cases of this uncommon post-operative complication and provide a review of the current literature. Case Report: A 48-year-old male underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) due to a massive rotator cuff tear. Nine weeks postoperatively, the patient suffered a humeral head fracture at the anchor site of the ARCR after trauma. Despite subsequent surgical treatment with open reduction and internal fixation, the patient demonstrates with excellent functional outcome scores at 2-year follow-up. Conclusion: Humeral head fractures are a rare complication after ARCR. The use of intraosseous anchors requires careful consideration regarding positioning and quantity used. Keywords: Rotator cuff, arthroscopy, complication, anchor, Speed Bridge, fracture, osteochondral defect.