Double row repair surgery for rotator cuff injuries is becoming preferred method of treatment for rotator cuff tears. However, according to Dr. Peter Millett, a Vail, Colorado shoulder surgeon, while healing rates are improved with this rotator cuff injury treatment method, there is still not enough research to show that it offers better clinical outcomes.
Dr. Millett made this statement recently for Orthopedics This Week in an excerpt that compares the double row and single row rotator cuff repair techniques. He states, “Many of my colleagues and I believe that double row repair is biomechanically stronger and anatomically better than the single row approach. We believe that this will result in better clinical outcomes, although, to date, clinical studies haven’t borne that out. Sample sizes have been small, however, and follow-ups have been short. Larger, longer term studies are needed.”
The rotator cuff is an area of the shoulder that is made up of four muscles. It’s this grouping of muscles that is responsible for stabilizing the shoulder joint and providing the strength it needs to move. Rotator cuff injuries are common, especially among the athletic population. A double row rotator cuff repair refers to an anatomic restoration of the original rotator cuff ‘footprint’ (the exact size, shape and makeup of the rotator cuff). This rotator cuff injury technique uses arthroscopic keyhole surgery to repair the tendons to their natural anatomy using a double-row of sutures rather than just a single row. A single row approach does not re-establish the normal footprint anatomy.
The controversy between both approaches was discussed in detail during the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons/American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine winter meeting in Park City, Utah. During this meeting, Dr. Millett attended and participated in this ongoing discussion.
See full article: Double or Single Row Rotator Cuff Repair
