Clinical Outcomes of Fully Arthroscopic Versus Arthroscopically Assisted Latissimus Dorsi Transfer for Irreparable Subscapularis Tear.

Background: Untreated chronic subscapularis (SSC) tears pose a challenging problem to treat owing to the resultant tendon retraction, atrophy, fatty infiltration, and changes in humeral head position, which complicate surgical options. Anterior latissimus dorsi (LD) transfer has shown effective results in treating these tears without glenohumeral arthritis.

Purpose/hypothesis: This study introduces and evaluates fully arthroscopic and arthroscopically assisted anterior LD transfer techniques for reconstructing irreparable SSC tears. The authors hypothesize that both methods will yield promising and comparable clinical outcomes.

Study design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods: This retrospective study reviewed patients who underwent anterior LD tendon transfer between February 2014 and April 2022. Indications for surgery included persistent shoulder pain and functional limitations unresponsive to nonoperative treatment, irreparable SSC tears (Lafosse grade ≥4), significant fatty infiltration (Goutallier grade ≥3), and minimal glenohumeral arthritis (Hamada stage <3). Patients were excluded if they had <2 years of follow-up or if data were lost. For comparison, the study divided patients into 2 groups based on the surgical methods: fully arthroscopic LD tendon transfer and arthroscopically assisted LD tendon transfer. Clinical assessments included pain levels (visual analog scale), Constant score, Subjective Shoulder Value score, and range of motion. Radiologic measurement and complications were assessed.

Results: The study included 34 patients (mean ± SD age, 62.4 ± 7.5 years; follow-up, 35.4 ± 15.9 months). Significant improvements were observed in all patient-reported outcomes (pre- to posttest visual analog scale, 7.5 ± 1.2 to 1.2 ± 1.6; Constant score, 28.3 ± 6.0 to 68.8 ± 15.8; Subjective Shoulder Value, 23.2 ± 8.7 to 65.3 ± 22.0; all P < .001), range of motion in all directions, and internal rotation strength. Fully arthroscopic (n = 18) and arthroscopically assisted (n = 16) LD tendon transfers produced comparable clinical outcomes. Complications included 3 retears, 3 infections, and 5 cases of arthritis progression.

Conclusion: Fully arthroscopic and arthroscopically assisted anterior LD transfers significantly reduce pain, enhance range of motion, and strengthen internal rotation in patients with irreparable SSC tears, with no significant differences in complications. These techniques offer comparable clinical outcomes, providing different options for surgeons.