Orthopedic Disorder
Conditions
Keywords
Rotator cuff tear, Suprascapular nerve function
Brief summary
The primary objective of the study is to determine in adult patients with a rotator cuff tear, what size and pattern of rotator cuff tear would result in damage to the suprascapular nerve. The secondary objectives are 1. To determine if an injured suprascapular nerve can recover if the rotator cuff tear is surgically repaired. 2. To determine if there is a limit of retraction before the suprascapular nerve is irreversibly damaged. 3. To determine factors that are protective against SSN injury. 4. Can the patient data gathered be used to optimise operative procedures.
Interventions
RADIATIONMRI
MRI of shoulder
Nerve conduction study
Sponsors
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
• All patients age ≥18 years presenting to a UHNM shoulder clinic with a confirmed diagnosis of a rotator cuff tear (affecting one or both shoulders).
Exclusion criteria
* Bony pathology (such as significant shoulder arthritis that would exclude isolated rotator cuff repair) * Grossly abnormal shoulder anatomy * Motor Neurone Disease * Cervical cord disease affecting the SSN nerve roots * Patients unable to undergo MRI scan * Previous surgery at the affected glenohumeral joint * Patients unable to tolerate NCS * Acute fracture affecting the glenohumeral joint * Recent glenohumeral joint dislocation (past 12 months) * Patients unable or unwilling to give full informed consent * Patients unable or unwilling to comply with the study procedures
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Assess suprascapular nerve funaction | 36 months | MRI scan to quantify size of rotator cuff tear, compared with Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS) to assess suprascapular nerve function. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulder scores | 36 months | Compare functional shoulder scores to the degree of nerve injury and muscle degeneration over a 24-month period post-injury. Scores to include active range of movement (ROM) measurements; and the collection of validated shoulder outcome scores (DASH, OSS, & Constant score). |
| Nerve recovery | 24 months | Functional assessment of nerve recovery at 24 months post-injury for surgically repaired rotator cuff tears. |
| Machine learning | 24 months | Use of machine learning to investigate data set for optimum parameters or predictors |
| Nerve conduction studies | 12 months | Repeat Nerve Conduction Study investigations at 12 months post injury for all surgically managed participants and non-surgical patients to assess suprascapular nerve function |
Countries
United Kingdom
Contacts
Primary ContactMegan Young
Outcome results
None listed