Short-term clinical results of middle trapezius tendon transfer with Achilles tendon allograft for irreparable supraspinatus tears.

Abstract

Among emerging options, middle trapezius tendon (MTT) transfer has shown promise, particularly in isolated supraspinatus irreparable rotator cuff tears (ISIRCTs) and nonarthritic shoulders unsuitable for reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. This study aims to assess clinical and radiological results of MTT transfer utilizing an Achilles tendon allograft for ISIRCTs. We retrospectively reviewed patients who received MTT transfer using Achilles tendon allograft for ISIRCTs between May 2020 and August 2021. Clinical assessments using pain visual analog scale, Constant, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, University of California-Los Angeles, and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation score were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively. Active range of motion was obtained, and radiologic assessments included acromiohumeral distance, Hamada grade, and MTT integrity. Eighteen patients were involved with mean age of 63.8 ± 7.1, followed for an average of 25.4 ± 4.4 months. Significant improvements were observed in pain relief (visual analog scale: 4.7 ± 1.5 to 1.6 ± 0.9, P < .001), shoulder function (Constant: 53.1 ± 11.1 to 70.0 ± 15.1, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons: 57.7 ± 13.5 to 78.2 ± 17.0, University of California-Los Angeles: 13.6 ± 4.5 to 22.0 ± 6.4; all P < .001), and patient satisfaction (Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation: 51.3 ± 14.1 to 73.7 ± 15.0, P < .001). Active range of motion significantly improved in forward elevation and abduction. Radiologic assessments showed no significant change in acromiohumeral distance and Hamada grade, with P values of 0.503 and 0.260, respectively. MTT transfer using Achilles tendon allograft showed improvement in pain relief, clinical scores, and active forward elevation and abduction in patients with ISIRCTs. However, the validation of its effectiveness necessitates multicenter and long-term studies.