Assessment of the Preserved Biceps Tendon After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair in Patients ≤ 55 Years

Purpose We assessed hypertrophy of preserved long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT) and vascularity in the bicipital groove after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair in ≤55-year-old patients and compared postoperative pain between shoulders with or without vascularity in the bicipital groove. Methods Patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair between 2015 and 2017 were reviewed. Inclusion criteria were arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and ≤55 years old. Exclusion criteria were a history of contralateral rotator cuff repair, revision surgery, partial repair or superior capsular reconstruction, shoulder dislocation or fracture, torn LHBT at surgery, LHBT tenodesis, retears, Results Fifty-seven shoulders were included in this study. There was no side-to-side difference in preoperative CSA. No difference was found between preoperative and postoperative CSA in the affected shoulders. Postoperative vascularity was identified in 28 (49%) shoulders. Mean pain score was significantly higher in the negative vascularity group than the positive vascularity group (9 and 8, respectively; P = .002). Conclusions The preserved LHBT did not show hypertrophy 1 year after arthroscopic repair of medium-sized or smaller posterosuperior rotator cuff tear in ≤55-year-old patients. However, 49% of the shoulders postoperatively demonstrated lower-grade vascularity in the bicipital groove. Healthy LHBT can be preserved in ≤55-year-old patients with posterosuperior medium-sized or smaller rotator cuff tears. Level of Evidence III, retrospective comparative prognostic trial