IS BASELINE STRAIN INDEX A PROGNOSTIC FACTOR FOR SMALL UNILATERAL SUPRASPINATUS TENDON TEARS? A PROSPECTIVE STUDY

Purpose: From prospectively report the 2-year follow-up clinical and
real-time sonoelastography (RTSE) outcomes of a group of patients
affected by small unilateral supraspinatus tendon tears. Our hypothesis
was that patients with lower baseline strain indexes would have worst
outcomes at follow-up.

Methods: We recruited patients suffering by a
unilateral rotator cuff tear. All patients have prospectively
scrutinized. Patients were initially managed non-operatively, after at
least 3 months of failed conservative treatment patients went under
surgery. Our clinical evaluation and follow up was done by: complete
physical examination; VAS for pain; Quick DASH; Constant–Murley score;
Simple Shoulder Test; ASES score and UCLA score. The mechanical
properties of tissues were evalutated by Conventional ultrasounds and
RTSE and they were estimated uging the Strain index.



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