Optimizing Anchor Placement for Cone-Shaped Rotator Cuff Tears

There are various technique preferences when performing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Currently, most surgeons address all intra-articular pathology as well as assess the extent of a rotator cuff tear with the arthroscope in the joint prior to moving to the subacromial space, where they will initiate footprint preparation, anchor placement, and rotator cuff repair. Although this technique often yields good or at least acceptable visualization of the footprint, it does not always provide an optimal view of the medial footprint even when using a “50–yard line view” from a lateral portal. This can particularly be an issue with “cone-shaped” supraspinatus tears in which a smaller full-thickness bursal-sided tear often expands to a much larger articular-sided component. When surgeons are visualizing with the scope in the subacromial space, it is much more difficult to obtain a full appreciation of the extent of the articular-sided tear as well as optimal visualization of the medial footprint right up to the articular margin for both bone preparation and anchor placement. This article describes the benefit of keeping the arthroscope in the joint to facilitate footprint preparation and medial-row suture anchor placement prior to going to the subacromial space. This small technical modification can often offer surgeons far superior visualization of the entire greater tuberosity footprint especially when encountering a cone-shaped tear or high-grade articular-sided tear that requires repair. To further enhance viewing of the footprint with the scope intra-articularly, proficiency in using a 70° scope directed laterally will typically allow surgeons the most ideal view achievable. Once anchors are placed into the medial row, the arthroscope is inserted into the subacromial space to complete the repair.