Microfracture at Proximal Humerus Lateral to Footprint Could Enhance the Rotator Cuff Healing

Randomized Controlled Trial of Patients Treated With and Without Lateralized Microfracture During Rotator Cuff Repair

The goal of this clinical trial is to test whether there is any effect on rotator cuff healing by making microfracture at the lateral side of the footprint. The main question it aims to answer are:

• [whether the lateralized microfracture could decrease the retear rate after arthroscopy rotator cuff repair.]
• [whether the lateralized microfracture could improve the functional recovery after arthroscopy rotator cuff repair.] Participants with medium to larger size rotator cuff tears will be randomly assigned to the study group treated with lateralized microfracture immediately after arthroscopy rotator cuff repair or the control group treated with conventional arthroscopy rotator cuff repair without microfracture.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Medium to large Rotator cuff tear(1cm-5cm) diagnosed by MRI
2. Patients can complete the follow-up and comply with all post-operative rehab instructions
3. Failure of non-operative treatment for at least 3 months

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Revision rotator cuff surgery
2. Partial thickness rotator cuff tears
3. Small (less than 1cm) and Massive (greater than 5cm) rotator cuff tears
4. Disease history of the affected shoulder
5. Systemic immune diseases
6. Irreparable rotator cuff tear