Our conversation picks back up with an article published in the December 2020 issue of Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine titled “Surgical Management of Massive Irreparable Cuff Tears: Superior Capsular Reconstruction.” Authored by our guest today, this review article summarizes the biomechanical properties and functional outcomes of superior capsular reconstruction or “SCR” for treatment of massive irreparable rotator cuff tears. The authors report that SCR decreases superior translation and subacromial contact pressure. Glenoid fixation is maximized with three anchors, while margin convergence to any remaining rotator cuff – particularly posterior – improves stability. Patient selection is key, with the ideal patient being younger than 70 and a healthy nonsmoker with an irreparable posterior cuff tear in the absence of glenohumeral arthritis and a functioning or repairable subscapularis. 

We finish up our discussion today with the publication titled “Latissimus dorsi transfer or lower trapezius transfer: a treatment algorithm for irreparable posterosuperior rotator cuff tears muscles transfers in posterosuperior rotator cuff tears.” Laurent Lafosse and team compared two tendon transfer options for irreparable posterior-superior rotator cuff tears with rotational deficiency – the latissimus dorsi transfer and the lower trapezius transfer.  They found that active motion, pain scores and function were improved in both groups with a low failure and revision rate.  The authors suggest that lower trapezius transfer better restores external rotation at the side while latissimus dorsi transfer may be a better option for restoration of external rotation and abduction.