Editorial Commentary: Increased Graft Thickness With Superior Capsular Reconstruction Results in Improved Acromiohumeral Distance, but Increased Graft Tear Rate and Lateral Acromial Erosion.

Abstract

For the treatment of irreparable posterosuperior rotator cuff tears of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus, superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) has continued to supplant other less successful and/or reproducible techniques, including partial rotator cuff repair and latissimus tendon transfer. After its initial description utilizing a folded fascia lata autograft with a thickness of up to 8 mm, many in North America adapted their surgical technique to use commercially available human dermal allograft to mitigate donor site morbidity. Early series have revealed the importance of graft thickness in predicting risk of radiographic or clinical failure. As a result, there has been a renewed interest in increasing the thickness of an SCR graft to further prevent superior humeral head translation and diminish subacromial contact pressures and secondary radiographic, or more importantly, clinical failure. Some authors have sought to augment dermal allografts for increased stiffness, whereas other authors have explored the option of adding a separate graft on the undersurface of the acromion for a bursal acromial reconstruction. Although this increased graft thickness may result in improved acromiohumeral distance and clinically significant patient improvement, secondary graft retear and acromial osteolysis may develop due to increased friction or "overstuffing" of the subacromial space.