What is Rotator Cuff Tear? What are the treatment options for Rotator Cuff Tear?
The rotator cuff is the name of the muscle group that provides the dynamic balance of the shoulder joint. With the tear of this muscle group, joint cannot establish its balance and movement loss occurs.Rotator cuff tears may occur due to trauma or age-related causes. The patients have complaints of pain in the shoulder, not being able to raise his arm and weakness. In cases where the tear size is small, complaints can be reduced by strengthening the other muscles.
Physical therapy and rehabilitation can reduce the daily negative effects of small tears. Application of PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) to repair a torn tendon is increasing day by day, but its effectiveness is still discussed. In the prospective studies performed with control groups, PRP has not been shown significant contribution to the repair of the torn rotator cuff.
Rotator Cuff tear grows over time. With the growth of the tear, the balance of the joint can no longer be achieved. The rotation ability of the head of upper arm bone on the nest is lost and the head moves upward in the joint. In time, the cuff ends become shortened, oiled and thinner.
Treatment of Rotator Cuff Tear With Surgery
Repair of the tear is recommended to the patients who are active, who do not want to compromise on life quality and who suffer from mobility loss.The result of the tear repair depends on the quality of the muscle tissue. It can be treated arthroscopically or with open surgery.
In case of very large and irreparable muscle tears, open tendon transfer surgery is performed.
Arthroscopic view and repair of rotator cuff tear
If the rotator cuff tears are left untreated, the tears and the remaining cuff muscles lose their quality. Torn ends become shorter and lose their function.
When the cuff muscles are unable to function as hinges, the joint is subject to friction and wear and a painful calcification occurs.
After this stage, preventive surgeries, such as tear repair or tendon transfer , can no longer allow the patient to raise his arm without pain.
It may be necessary to use the treatment called Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty, which allows the patient to raise his arm without pain.
When the cuff muscles are unable to function as hinges, the joint is subject to friction and wear and a painful calcification occurs.
After this stage, preventive surgeries, such as tear repair or tendon transfer , can no longer allow the patient to raise his arm without pain.
It may be necessary to use the treatment called Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty, which allows the patient to raise his arm without pain.
