Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with biceps tendon augmentation

Abstract

Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair has become an increasingly popular treatment for rotator cuff tears. For orthopedic surgeons, treating large to massive rotator cuff tears is challenging in many ways. Patients with this pathology do not have the same healing rates and clinical outcomes as patients with smaller tears. Some surgeons have augmented repair with collagen-based grafts, but the success of this method has been limited. The same patient population may have concomitant biceps tendon pathology. Biceps tenotomy and biceps tenodesis are procedures in the surgeon's treatment armamentarium. Rotator cuff repair and biceps tenodesis or tenotomy are commonly performed simultaneously. In this article, we describe a technique that incorporates biceps tenodesis into double-row rotator cuff repair with the goal of providing more collagen and, ultimately, more healing potential.