Surgical outcomes of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with modified Mason-Allen suture technique combined with microfracture procedure at the attachment site

Background: Rotator Cuff Tear (RCT) is a lesion that cannot be reversed, usually requiring surgery. Several techniques have been introduced to repair RCT. In general, the purposes of these techniques are aimed at restoring the mechanical strength of the tendons, reducing the rate of tendon re-tear and increasing the rate of tendon healing, thereby increasing functional outcomes after surgery. Material and Methods: This prospective longitudinal followup study included 60 patients of full-thickness RCT who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with modified Mason-Allen suture technique combined with microfracture procedure at the attachment site between January 2019 and March 2020. The patients were evaluated functional results after surgery based on ASES score and UCLA score. Tendon healing was assessed based on MRI according to Sugaya classification. The average ASES scores before and after surgery were 28.02 ± 15.36 and 96.35 ± 4.57, respectively. The average UCLA score after surgery was 33.07 ± 1.83. Forty-one out of 60 patients had postoperative MRI, showing type I, type II, type III, type IV, and type V tendon healing respectively in 23 patients (56.1%), 9 patients (22.0%), 4 patients (9.8%), 2 patients (4.9%), and 3 patients (7.3%). Conclusions: The arthroscopic modified Mason Allen suture technique combined with microfracture procedure at the attachment site for the treatment of rotator cuff tear had good postoperative results, especially in patients with small and moderate tears in terms of the rate of tendon healing and postoperative shoulder function.