OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the functional and anatomic results of surgical treatment under arthroscopy in cases of rupture of the rotator cuff using ultrasound images and the Constant and Murley functional score to investigate the correlation between them. METHODS: 110 patients (110 shoulders) were evaluated. The medium follow up was 48.8 ± 33.28 months (12 to 141 months). The average age was 60.25 ± 10.09 (36 to 81 years). Isolated rupture of the supraspinal tendon occurred in 85 cases (77%), associated with infraspinatus in 20 cases (18%) and subscapularis in four shoulders (4%). Associated tear lesions of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus and subscapularis was found in one shoulder (1%). The lesions were classified according to the DeOrio and Cofield score as small/medium in 85 shoulders (77%) and large/massive in 25 (23%). The clinical results were assessed according to the Constant and Murley criteria. The results of the ultrasound (US) refer to the reports of several radiologists. Statistical analysis was carried out according to the chi-square methods, Fisher's exact test, Student T test, Pearson, Kruscall-Wallis correlation and logistic regression (significance value p < 0.05). RESULTS: the Constant evaluation average was 85.3 ± 10.06 (46 to 99) in the normal shoulders and 83.96 ± 8.67 (59 to 99) in the operated shoulders (p = 0.224). Excellent and good results were found in 74 shoulders (67%), satisfactory and adequate results in 32 (29%) and poor results in 4 (4%). The ultrasound evaluation showed 38 shoulders with re-rupture (35%), absence of rupture in 71 (65%). Of the 74 (67%) shoulders with excellent/good results, 22 (30%) presented re-rupture in the ultrasound report (p = 0.294). Of the four shoulders (4%) with poor results, two (50%) presented intact tendons (p = 0.294). CONCLUSION: There is no statistically valid correlation between the ultrasound diagnosis and the clinical evaluation of results in patients who underwent arthroscopic repair to treat full tear lesions of the rotator cuff. The clinical results in complete rotator cuff repairs under arthroscopy present a high level of functional recovery (Constant 83.96) when compared with the contralateral shoulder. The postoperative ultrasound image reports present a high percentage of re-rupture (35%); The postoperative strength is higher in patients aged under 60 years (p = 0.002) and in cases of lesions less than or equal to 3 cm. (p = 0.003).
Rotator cuff; Arthroscopy; Ultrasonography
