OBJECTIVE: To analyze the frequency of esthetic complaints after tenotomy of the long head of the biceps in order to create a criterion for some pre-operative analysis that could identify patients that tend to complain about esthetics after the procedure, and thus reduce the incidence. METHODS: A group of 89 patients (90 shoulders) submitted to arthroscopic tenotomy of the long head of the biceps was analyzed. Patients included in the study had their bodily mass index (BMI) measured and were classified into different degrees of obesity. The abdominal skin fold and the contralateral tricipital skin fold were measured with a millimeter-graded adipometer, and the biotype of each individual was determined by the angle measured in the xiphoid appendix. Tenotomy of the long head of the biceps, when indicated, was performed at its insertion in the upper labrum of the glenoid. Patients were asked about their perception of residual deformity created by the tenotomy of the long head of the biceps. Variables studied were age, gender, operated side, dominance, biotype, degree of obesity, abdominal skin fold, and contralateral tricipital skin fold. 77 patients were evaluated for a mean 15.14 (± 10.7) months period after the surgery. RESULTS: 50 patients (64.9%) did not complain about deformity, whereas 27 patients (35.1%) had some esthetic complaint. Statistical analysis was not significant in the cross analysis for age (P = 0.788), the side (P = 0.075), and the biotype (P = 0.529) of the patients who did present an esthetic complaint about their residual deformity. Significant correlation of deformity complaint was present in the evaluation of gender (p = 0.004), dominance (P = 0.026), and when a group was formed of patients with BMI below 30 (normal and overweight) and this group was compared to patients with BMI above 30 (obesity grade one, two, and morbid) (P = 0.005). A significant correlation was shown for the deformity complaint in patients with abdominal skin fold of less than 23.2 mm (P = 0.003), and with the contralateral tricipital skin fold of less than 14.5 mm (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of esthetic complaint was of 35.1% in the series. Male patients; submitted to tenotomy of the long head of the biceps on the dominant side, with BMI below 30; with abdominal skin fold of less than 23.2 mm and contralateral tricipital skin fold of less than 14.5 mm are considered at risk of presenting some esthetic complaint regarding residual deformity.
Shoulder; Artroscopy; Evaluation; Obesity
