To explore the difference between the single-row(SR) and Mason-Allen(MA) suture techniques under arthroscope on small or medium-sized rotator cuff injury.

A retrospective study was conducted on patients who were under 70 years old, with proven small or medium-sized rotator cuff tears according to DeOrio & Cofield classification and treated with SR or MA sutures in the Civil Aviation General Hospital from January 2016 to December 2019. Exclusion criteria included tear size over three centimetres, with other diseases that affected the shoulder functions, a history of shoulder surgery within three months, age over 70 years and with an incomplete data. The patients were divided into a SR group and a MA group according to the suture method employed, with 59 patients in the MA group and 46 in the SR group. Two independent sample t test was used to compare the range of movement of shoulder before and one year after surgery, Constant scores and University of California Los Angeles score (UCLA) between the two groups. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) of repeated measuring was used to compare the relationship between Constant range of motion (ROM) score and visual analogue scale (VAS) score before surgery and six weeks, three and six months, one year after surgery. Rotator cuff healing was assessed by MRI at one year after surgery. Two-independent samples t test was used to compare the thickness of neogenetic tissues of rotator cuff between the groups. Rank sum test were used to compare preoperative and one year postoperative fatty infiltration between the groups.

A total of 105 cases were enrolled, 59 cases in MA group and 46 cases in SR group. Constant score before surgery and one-year after surgery, UCLA, VAS, re-tear rate and thickness of neogenetic tissue in MA group were found at (67.4±2.9), (90.7±3.8), (17.4±2.6), (29.9±1.7), (6.5±1.2), (0.9±0.5), 3.4% and (6.9±0.6) mm, respectively. The same observation items for SR group were (63.6±3.8), (88.8±3.8), (16.7±2.6), (29.7±1.6), (6.6±1.4), (1.0±0.6), 0% and (7.0±0.4) mm, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups for all of above observation items (all P>0.05). Also, there was no statistically significant difference in preoperative and postoperative fatty infiltration between the two groups (P>0.05). The Constant score of range of motion in the MA group in six weeks, three months, six months and one year were (23.2±2.5), (32.6±2.1), (36.3±2.6) and (37.8±2.6), respectively, while the data at per observation point in the SR group were (24.9±2.1), (33.3±2.2), (35.0±2.2) and (35.7±3.1). It was found that the Constant score of range of motion in the MA group at six weeks was significantly lower than that of the SR group (F=11.451, P=0.001), however, those at six months and one year were significantly higher than those in the SR group (F=5.847, P=0.020; F=12.255, P=0.001). The active anteflexion, active abduction, active lateral and medial rotation from the neutral position in the MA group at one year were (151±17)°, (161±11)°, (41±4)° and (88±6)°, and those in the SR group were (141±17)°, (157±15)°, (38±6)° and (86±8)°. The postoperative active anteflexion and abduction in the MA group showed significant better than those in the SR group (t=2.793, P=0.006; t=3.075, P=0.003).

The patients with mild and moderate rotator cuff tears treated with MA suture could get better active anteflexion and abduction than that of a SR suture.