CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT03982108Updated Jul 28, 2020

Comparison of Two Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair Techniques: Knot-tying Versus Knotless Suture-bridge Technique

An interventional study of Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with knotless suture-bridge technique and Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with knot-tying suture-bridge technique in Rotator Cuff Tears and Rotator Cuff Injuries, sponsored by Koray Sahin. Completed at 1 site in Turkey. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2020-07-28.

Sponsored by Koray Sahin · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Registered 2 years 1 month after the study started (first participant enrolled May 2017, registered Jun 2019).
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
104
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Suture-bridge technique has been widely used for rotator cuff tears with many studies showing superior clinical results and lower failure rates compared to other techniques. This study aims to compare clinical outcomes and radiological integrity of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair between knot-tying and knotless suture-bridge techniques. The possibility of tendon strangulation and necrosis at the medial row when performing a suture-bridge technique may lead to retear and structural failure. In order to avoid this complication, the knots used at the medial row and their tension might be a factor to consider. Our hypothesis is that a knotless suture-bridge technique might avoid tendon strangulation thus might have lower retear rates.

Read the detailed description

This study has been planned as a prospective randomized clinical trial. We used a completely computer-generated list in order to randomize all participants to receive one of two treatments (https://www.random.org/sequences/).

Rotator cuff tear diagnosis will be made by physical examination and magnetic resonance imaging. Participants who agree to be enrolled to study will be examined one day prior to surgery. Half of the participants will undergo an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with knot-tying suture-bridge technique, while the other half will receive a knotless suture-bridge technique. All the surgeries will be performed by the same senior surgeon experienced in shoulder surgery under general anesthesia with participant in beach-chair position.

All participants will receive a standard postoperative rehabilitation program starting immediately after surgery with active elbow and passive shoulder exercises. The operated upper extremity will be placed in a sling for 6 weeks. Active-assisted exercises will be started at 6 weeks postoperatively.

Postoperative evaluations will be performed regularly at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months postoperatively and each following year. The results of last follow-up will be analyzed. To assess repair integrity and tendon healing, a postoperative magnetic resonance imaging scan will be performed to all participants at 6 months postoperatively. The results of prospective clinical follow-up data and radiological evaluation will be analyzed in order to compare clinical outcomes, failure rates and patterns of knot-tying and knotless suture-bridge arthroscopic rotator cuff repair techniques.

02

Conditions studied

  • Rotator Cuff Tears
  • Rotator Cuff Injuries

Browse trials for

Keywords

  • shoulder
  • rotator cuff tear
  • arthroscopic repair
  • suture-bridge technique
  • retear
  • knotless
  • knot-tying
03

In context

Rotator Cuff Injuries

734 studies on the registry are indexed under Rotator Cuff Injuries; 161 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 104 is above the median of 60 across 538 interventional studies indexed under Rotator Cuff Injuries.

Browse Rotator Cuff Injuries studies →

Lead sponsor

This is the only study on the registry with Koray Sahin as lead sponsor.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Full thickness rotator cuff tear repaired by arthroscopic suture-bridge technique

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Partial thickness rotator cuff tear
  • Presence of a full thickness subscapularis tear that requires a repair
  • History of a neurological disease
  • Presence of severe glenohumeral or acromioclavicular arthritis
  • Presence of a metal implant which prevents magnetic resonance imaging scan
  • Tears repaired with other techniques
  • Revision surgeries
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Participant)
Enrollment
104 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Knotless suture-bridge technique

    All participants in this arm will undergo an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with knotless suture-bridge technique.

    Procedure: Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with knotless suture-bridge technique

  • Active comparator
    Knot-tying suture-bridge technique

    All participants in this arm will undergo an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with knot-tying suture-bridge technique.

    Procedure: Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with knot-tying suture-bridge technique

Interventions

  • ProcedureArthroscopic rotator cuff repair with knotless suture-bridge technique

    A posterior portal will be established to obtain adequate visualization and an anterior portal will be established through rotator interval as a working portal for diagnostic arthroscopy and debridement. Then additional portals will be established and preperation of tendon will be performed and a burr will be used for footprint preperation. After determination of proper anchor locations, required number of suture anchors will be inserted just lateral to articular margin depending on the tear size. Then limbs of sutures will be passed from the rotator cuff and will be used to create a suture bridge over the tendon. Then these limbs will be loaded to anchors which will form the lateral row without tying the suture limbs at the medial row. These lateral anchors will be inserted to adequate location, just lateral and distal to greater tuberosity with adequate suture-bridge tension over the rotator cuff.

  • ProcedureArthroscopic rotator cuff repair with knot-tying suture-bridge technique

    After the same preparation procedure as in knotless suture-bridge technique, required number of suture anchors will be inserted just lateral to articular margin depending on the tear size. Then limbs of sutures will be passed from the tendon and tied in a horizontal mattress suture pattern. After the establishment of medial row, suture limbs will be used to form a suture bridge over the tendon and will be loaded to lateral row anchors which then will be inserted lateral to greater tuberosity in a similar way to knotless repair technique.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Sugaya classification of rotator cuff integrity

    This is a classification system described by Sugaya et al. which uses magnetic resonance imaging in order to evaluate tendon integrity after rotator cuff repair. Postoperative cuff integrity is classified into 5 categories: type I, sufficient thickness with homogenously low intensity; type II, sufficient thickness with partial high intensity; type III, insufficient thickness without discontinuity; type IV, presence of minor discontinuity; type V, presence of major discontinuity

    Time frame: 6 months postoperatively

  2. Constant shoulder score

    This is a clinical functional assessment test used for shoulder disorders. The score consists of 4 sections: pain, activities of daily living, mobility and strength.

    Time frame: Change from baseline Constant shoulder score at 12 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Shoulder range of motion

    Shoulder abduction, forward flexion, external rotation, internal rotation and extension degrees measured by a goniometer

    Time frame: Change from baseline range of motion at 12 months

  2. Visual analog scale for pain

    A visual scale which classifies the intensity of pain between 0-10.

    Time frame: Change from baseline visual analog scale for pain at 12 months

  3. Retear patterns of rotator cuff tendons

    Retear patterns of rotator cuff tendons will be evaluated by using postoperative magnetic resonance images. Detected retears will be classified as type 1 (lateral) or type 2 (medial/musculotendinous) rotator cuff retears/failures.

    Time frame: 6 months postoperatively

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Istanbul University Istanbul Medical Faculty Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology
    Istanbul, Fatih 34093, Turkey
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Angst F, Schwyzer HK, Aeschlimann A, Simmen BR, Goldhahn J. Measures of adult shoulder function: Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand Questionnaire (DASH) and its short version (QuickDASH), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) Society standardized shoulder assessment form, Constant (Murley) Score (CS), Simple Shoulder Test (SST), Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), Shoulder Disability Questionnaire (SDQ), and Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index (WOSI). Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2011 Nov;63 Suppl 11:S174-88. doi: 10.1002/acr.20630. No abstract available. PubMed 22588743 ↗
  • Sugaya H, Maeda K, Matsuki K, Moriishi J. Functional and structural outcome after arthroscopic full-thickness rotator cuff repair: single-row versus dual-row fixation. Arthroscopy. 2005 Nov;21(11):1307-16. doi: 10.1016/j.arthro.2005.08.011. PubMed 16325080 ↗
  • Rhee YG, Cho NS, Parke CS. Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair using modified Mason-Allen medial row stitch: knotless versus knot-tying suture bridge technique. Am J Sports Med. 2012 Nov;40(11):2440-7. doi: 10.1177/0363546512459170. Epub 2012 Sep 21. Erratum In: Am J Sports Med. 2013 Aug;41(8):NP41. PubMed 23002202 ↗
  • Kim KC, Shin HD, Cha SM, Park JY. Comparisons of retear patterns for 3 arthroscopic rotator cuff repair methods. Am J Sports Med. 2014 Mar;42(3):558-65. doi: 10.1177/0363546514521577. PubMed 24585674 ↗
  • Millett PJ, Espinoza C, Horan MP, Ho CP, Warth RJ, Dornan GJ, Katthagen JC. Predictors of outcomes after arthroscopic transosseous equivalent rotator cuff repair in 155 cases: a propensity score weighted analysis of knotted and knotless self-reinforcing repair techniques at a minimum of 2 years. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2017 Oct;137(10):1399-1408. doi: 10.1007/s00402-017-2750-7. Epub 2017 Jul 26. Erratum In: Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2017 Dec;137(12):1761. doi: 10.1007/s00402-017-2819-3. PubMed 28748291 ↗
  • Sahin K, Senturk F, Ersin M, Arzu U, Chodza M, Ersen A. Repair Integrity and Functional Outcomes Between Knot-Tying and Knotless Suture-Bridge Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial. Orthop J Sports Med. 2021 Apr 19;9(4):23259671211002482. doi: 10.1177/23259671211002482. eCollection 2021 Apr. PubMed 33954223 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jul 28, 2020, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03982108
Lead sponsor
Koray Sahin
Responsible party
Koray Sahin (Resident in orthopedics and traumatology department, Istanbul University) — Sponsor-investigator
First posted
Jun 11, 2019
Start date
May 3, 2017
Primary completion
Jul 2, 2020
Completion
Jul 2, 2020
Last update
Jul 28, 2020

Study contacts

Ali Ersen, M.D.
principal investigator · Istanbul University Istanbul Medical Faculty

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Jul 2020. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion