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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 34/2/182    most recent 0363546505279916v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (3) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Mazoué, C. G. Articles by Andrews, J. R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Mazoué, C. G. Articles by Andrews, J. R. Related Collections Shoulder Baseball

Repair of Full-Thickness Rotator Cuff Tears in Professional Baseball Players

Christopher G. Mazoué, MD^*, and James R. Andrews, MD

From the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, and the Alabama Sports Medicine Institute, Birmingham, Alabama

^* Address correspondence to Christopher G. Mazoué, MD, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, 2 Medical Park, Suite 404, Columbia, SC 29203 (e-mail: cmazoue{at}gw.mp.sc.edu).

Background: Despite the relative frequency of partial-thickness rotator cuff tears seen in baseball players, full-thickness rotator cuff tears in baseball players are uncommon.

Hypothesis: Return to competitive baseball is difficult after surgical treatment of a full-thickness rotator cuff tear.

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods: We evaluated the results of 16 professional baseball players after a mini-open repair of a full-thickness rotator cuff tear. Twelve patients were pitchers with injury to their dominant shoulders. Four patients were position players; 2 had injuries involving their dominant shoulders, and 2 had injuries to their nondominant shoulders.

Results: At a mean follow-up of 66.6 months for the pitchers, only 1 player (8%) was able to return to a high competitive level of baseball with no significant shoulder dysfunction after mini-open repair of a full-thickness rotator cuff tear. Of the 2 position players with mini-open repairs of the full-thickness rotator cuff tear of their dominant shoulders, 1 was able to return to professional baseball. Of the 2 position players with mini-open repairs of the full-thickness rotator cuff tear of their nondominant shoulders, both were able to return to professional baseball at the same or higher level.

Conclusion: It is very difficult for a professional baseball pitcher to return to a competitive level of pitching after a full-thickness rotator cuff repair with a mini-open approach.

Key Words: shoulder • baseball • rotator cuff

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