ROTATOR CUFF RUPTURE - MANAGEMENT WITH SUPRASCAPULAR NEUROPATHY

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 65  (5) , 273-275
Abstract
In patients with shoulder pain, weakness and limitation of motion from rupture of the rotator cuff, there may be concomitant supracapsular neuropathy. In 5 patients with partial tears and 1 postsurgical patient with a complete tear of the rotator cuff, confirmed by arthrography, shoulder pain and weakness persisted 6-10 wk after trauma. Electrodiagnosis in all 6 patients demonstrated prolonged supracapsular distal nerve latencies to the involved infraspinatus muscles. During the first 5 mo. after trauma, clinical recovery was much more rapid than later. Eight months after injury, despite conservative therapy, some discomfort remained, and electrodiagnostic values had not completely returned to normal. The combination of a torn rotator cuff and a suprascapular neuropathy can present a complex diagnostic and management challenge, suggesting the importance of alertness to the possibility of such a combination in patients with tears of the rotator cuff.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: