Arthroscopy : the journal of arthroscopic & related surgery : official publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association | 2021
Editorial Commentary: Balloons for Rotator Cuff Tears: A Viable Treatment or Just a Bunch of Hot Air?
Abstract
Rotator cuff tears are very common. They can be either traumatic or degenerative in nature. Many tears can be successfully treated nonoperatively with physical therapy or home exercises. For patients in whom conservative measures fail, there are a variety of ways to repair the rotator cuff. Despite our advances in knowledge about rotator cuff tears, improved technology, and advanced repair techniques, failure rates after surgery are still high. Large tears that are deemed irreparable can be treated with partial repair, debridement, tendon transfers such as a latissimus dorsi transfer or lower trapezius transfer, biceps tenotomy or tenodesis, superior capsular reconstruction, bridge grafting, or even arthroplasty options such as a hemiarthroplasty or reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. No technique has proved vastly superior to another, and there are many advantages and disadvantages of each surgical procedure. Add balloon spacer implantation to that list. A surgeon can now place a subacromial balloon spacer to help improve functional outcomes and reduce pain in patients with irreparable rotator cuff tears. Studies have shown promising results, with improvements in strength and range of motion, as well as reductions in pain. Outcomes have only been studied in the short term, so much is still unknown about the full effects of this treatment. More studies are needed to find out whether the results persist into the long term and to confirm that complications do not arise that may complicate future procedures such as a reverse total shoulder arthroplasty.