A biomechanical cadaveric study of patellar tendon allograft as an alternative graft material for superior capsule reconstruction

Hypothesis In a cadaveric irreparable rotator cuff tear model, patellar tendon allograft–superior capsule reconstruction (PT-SCR) will restore glenohumeral stability and reduce subacromial contact pressures without significant graft deformation during testing. Methods Eight cadaveric shoulders were tested in a custom shoulder testing system. Rotational range of motion (ROM), superior translation, and subacromial contact pressure were measured in the following experimental conditions: intact rotator cuff, irreparable supraspinatus tear (massive cuff tear [MCT]), and PT-SCR. Results MCT and PT-SCR resulted in significantly increased total ROM at all degrees of abduction compared with the intact state ( P P P P Conclusion PT-SCR was able to reduce superior translation of the humeral head and peak subacromial contact pressure without restricting ROM. Furthermore, there was no significant graft deformation during testing. PT-SCR in this validated cadaveric model demonstrates favorable biomechanical properties and is a viable source of graft material for SCR.