New Retear Pattern after Rotator Cuff Repair at Previous Intact Portion of Rotator Cuff

ABSTRACT

Retear patterns after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair are classified into two patterns according to retear location. Type 1 is when the retear pattern occurs directly on the tendon at the bone repair site using the suture anchor repair method. Type 2 is when the retear pattern occurs at the musculocutaneous junction with a healed footprint in patients who undergo the suture bridge method. Here, the authors report another retear pattern, which was identified as a type 2 retear on magnetic resonance imaging in patients who had undergone arthroscopic rotator cuff repair by the suture-bridge technique. This pattern was different from the type 2 retear and occurred at the portion of the cuff away from the healed rotator cuff under the view of the arthroscope.