Clinical and radiologic results of arthroscopic biceps tenodesis with suture anchor in the setting of rotator cuff tear

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to report clinical and radiologic results of arthroscopic biceps tenodesis with 1 suture anchor in rotator cuff tear patients.

Methods: During a 2-year period, 84 consecutive patients (45 men; 39 women) who underwent arthroscopic tenodesis were evaluated retrospectively. Mean age was 58 years. The primary indication for surgery was rotator cuff tear in 96.4%. Tenodesis was performed with 1 suture anchor placed in the bicipital groove with 2 knots, 1 lasso-type and 1 that pierced the tendon. At final follow-up at a mean of 33.2 months, visual analog scale pain (pain-VAS) score, shoulder scores (American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons [ASES] and Constant score), Popeye deformity (PD), anterior arm pain, and elbow flexion power were evaluated. Postoperative magnetic resonance images were evaluated in 60 patients to determine the integrity of the tenodesis and the location of the suture anchor.

Results: The average pain-VAS decreased from 5.3 to 1.4 (P < .001). ASES and Constant scores significantly increased, from 42.9 and 56.2 to 85.2 and 82.5, respectively. PD occurred in 11 patients (12.9%), and 2 (2.3%) had self-consciousness; however, no patients complained about the deformity and the PD did not correlate with poorer clinical scores. Six patients (7.1%) complained of anterior cramping pain. Elbow flexion power was similar compared with the contralateral side. In postoperative magnetic resonance imagine analysis, 15 patients (25%) showed distal migration of tenodesed biceps tendon, although only 6 (7.1%) had clinical PD. Postoperative clinical outcomes were not influenced by the location of the suture anchor within the bicipital groove.

Conclusions: Arthroscopic biceps tenodesis with 1 suture anchor resulted in good clinical outcomes at 2 years postoperatively. PD was seen in 12.9% of the patients.

Keywords: Popeye deformity; Shoulder; arthroscopy; biceps; suture anchor; tenodesis.