SynthesisKnee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA2021
Subacromial balloon spacer implantation for patients with massive irreparable rotator cuff tears achieves satisfactory clinical outcomes in the short and middle of follow-up period: a meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 40 citations in OpenAlex.
- Clinical and functional outcomes of subacromial spacer implantation and superior capsular reconstruction for massive irreparable rotator cuff tears: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Pooled it
- Nice knots assistance in comminuted and displaced clavicle fractures reduce intraoperative blood and shorten operation time with a satisfactory postoperative clinical outcome.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2024Pooled it
- Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Rotator Cuff Tear with Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine.Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening · 2024Guideline
- Reliable diagnosis of posterosuperior rotator cuff tears requires a combination of clinical tests.Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA · 2021Pooled it
- Surgical Options for Massive Rotator Cuff Tears with Preserved Full Range of Motion in Middle-Aged Patients.Clinics in orthopedic surgery · 2026Review
- Limited Clinical Benefit of the Subacromial Balloon Spacer in Massive Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears: A Comprehensive Review of Clinical Outcomes and Cost-Effectiveness.JBJS reviews · 2026Review
- Percutaneous Subacromial Balloon Spacer Insertion Under Fluoroscopic Guidance in Patients Older Than 60 Years With Rotator Cuff Arthropathy Results in Significant Pain Relief but Does Not Improve Function.Arthroscopy, sports medicine, and rehabilitation · 2025Article
- Muscle Advancement During Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair as a Treatment Option for Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears.Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine · 2024Article
- Three-dimensional sonography has satisfied accuracy for detecting rotator cuff tears.Frontiers in surgery · 2024Article
- Management of Irreparable Posterosuperior Rotator Cuff Tears-A Current Concepts Review and Proposed Treatment Algorithm by the AGA Shoulder Committee.Journal of personalized medicine · 2023Review
- Effect of Active and Passive Function of the Posterosuperior Rotator Cuff on Compensatory Muscle Loads in the Shoulder.Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine · 2022Article
- Arthroscopic-assisted latissimus dorsi transfer for irreparable posterosuperior cuff tears: Clinical outcome of 15 patients.European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie · 2022Article
- Biomechanical outcomes of superior capsular reconstruction for irreparable rotator cuff tears by different graft materials-a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in surgery · 2022Review
- Treatment Options for Massive Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears.Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine · 2021Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
purposeThis meta-analysis was performed systematically to evaluate the efficacy of subacromial balloon spacers for patients with massive, irreparable rotator cuff tears.
methodsElectronic databases, including Medline/PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library, were systematically searched to identify studies evaluating the efficacy of subacromial spacers for patients with irreparable or massive rotator cuff tears. Meta-analyses were performed to pool the outcome estimates of interest, such as the total constant score (TCS) and its sub-score (pain, activities of daily living [ADL], range of motion [ROM], and strength), Oxford shoulder score (OSS), American Shoulder and Elbow Society scores (ASES) and numeric rating scale (NRS), as well as different outcomes at different time points in the follow-up period.
resultsTen studies with a total of 261 patients involving 270 shoulders were deemed viable for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The combined results demonstrated significant improvements in the TCS at the final follow-up (pooled mean difference = 26.4, 95% confidence intervals [CIs] 23.3 to 29.5). A sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis, which were implemented based on two factors, different follow-up points and sub-scores (pain, ADL, ROM, and strength), revealed a consistent trend. The combined shoulder motion results demonstrated significant improvements in the forward flexion and external rotation (0° abduction) variables rather than in the abduction and external rotation (90° abduction) variables. Additionally, significant improvements in the OSS and ASES and a decrease in the NRS were observed in the middle of the follow-up period.
conclusionThis meta-analysis indicated that subacromial balloon spacer implantation for patients with massive irreparable rotator cuff tears may achieve satisfactory outcomes between 3 months and 3 years of follow-ups. Although the short- and middle- term effect is significant, the long-term effect needs to be confirmed by large-sample randomized controlled trial. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.