ABSTRACT
Soft tissue injuries are common not only in young and active patients but also in older individuals. Rotator cuff tears are a frequent source of shoulder pain and disability in older patients. The clinical diagnosis is not always easy. Painful conditions of the long head of the biceps or the acromioclavicular joint may result in a high false positive rate. Tendon healing is a complex and well-orchestrated series of physiological events involving synthesis, migration and degradation of extracellular matrix components. Both arthroscopic and mini-open techniques are effective for rotator cuff repair, but there is still considerable debate over the benefits of these procedures. Many improvements have been made since the first completely arthroscopic rotator cuff repair described by Johnson, and arthroscopists state that the main advantages of all-arthroscopic repairs are less postoperative pain and shorter rehabilitation time.
