[Arthroscopic Superior Capsule Reconstruction with a Long Head of the Biceps Tendon Autograft: One-Year Follow-up Results].

Purpose of the study: Superior Capsule Reconstruction (SCR) of the shoulder joint has recently been included in the portfolio of interventions as a solution to irreparable rotator cuff tears. One of the options is to use a long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT) autograft. This paper presents the fi rst clinical outcomes of the SCR of the shoulder joint using the LHBT autograft. MATERIAL AND METHODS It is a prospective non-randomised study in which 14 patients were included, namely 7 men and 7 women. The patients were evaluated using the pain VAS, UCLA (The University of California at Los Angeles) Shoulder Rating Scale and ASES (The American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons) Shoulder Score. The minimum follow-up was 12 months after surgery. The measured values were analysed using the standard statistical methods. RESULTS From August 2020 to January 2022, a total of 14 SCR with biceps tendon autograph were performed at our department. The mean age of the patients was 62 years (40-72). The mean value of the UCLA Shoulder Score was 12.36 ± 2.92 points preoperatively, while after surgery the obtained values increased to the mean value of 28.86 ± 3.08 points. The ASES score was 25.48 ± 3.89 points preoperatively and 82.41 ± 7.95 points at one year after surgery. The preoperative mean VAS score was 6.14 ± 1.10 points and 1.36 ± 0.93 points at one year after surgery. The mean active shoulder fl exion measured preoperatively was 140 degrees, whereas at one year after surgery it was 171 degrees. The mean active abduction reached 123 degrees before surgery and 169 degrees after surgery. The mean active external rotation of the shoulder joint was 59 degrees preoperatively and 52 degrees postoperatively. The mean active external rotation at 90 degrees of abduction was 52 degrees preoperatively and 60 degrees postoperatively. Whereas the improvement as against the preoperative status measured by the UCLA, ASES and pain VAS was signifi cant, the differences in the range of motion were signifi cant in the case of active fl exion and abduction only. DISCUSSION Painful irreparable rotator cuff tear constitutes an indication for SCR. The reconstruction is performed using autografts, allografts and xenografts. In literature, several SCR surgical techniques using a long head of the biceps tendon have been presented. In most of these techniques the supraglenoid insertion of the LHBT was left intact. Our study showed a signifi - cant relief from problems and good functional outcomes at 1 year after surgery when the biceps tendon had been used. Similar results are reported also by other studies using the biceps tendon for SCR. When comparing this study and the other study we published earlier on SCR with xenografts, there is no signifi cant difference in the clinical outcomes between these two techniques. On the very contrary, they are slightly better in some parameters. CONCLUSIONS Arthroscopic SCR of the shoulder joint with the biceps tendon reports good clinical outcomes at one year after surgery both with regard to the relief from problems and range of motion. Due to low morbidity of graft harvesting, low cost, and easy surgical technique, it appears to be the fi rst-choice method for superior capsule reconstruction of an irreparable tear of supraspinatus or infraspinatus if the long head of the biceps tendon is preserved. A longer follow-up period and evaluation of a larger study population would be necessary to defi nitely confi rm the success rate of the described procedure.

Key words: massive rotator cuff tears, irreparable rotator cuff tears, superior capsular reconstruction, autograft, long head of the biceps tendon.