ArticleJournal of experimental orthopaedics2021
Middle trapezius transfer for treatment of irreparable supraspinatus tendon tears- anatomical feasibility study.
Article in Journal of experimental orthopaedics, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed.
- Clinical Outcomes of Staged Bilateral Middle Trapezius Transfer for Irreparable Supraspinatus Tendon Tears: A Case Report.Journal of orthopaedic case reports · 2026Article
- Dual Reconstruction, Combined Anterior Latissimus Dorsi with Teres Major and Middle Trapezius Tendon Transfer, Reduces Anterior Superior Humeral Subluxation: Case Report.Journal of orthopaedic case reports · 2026Article
- Dual Transfer, Latissimus Dorsi Transfer Combined with Middle Trapezius Tendon Transfer for Posterosuperior Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears Without Arthritic Change.Indian journal of orthopaedics · 2026Article
- Outcome comparison of lower trapezius tendon transfer and arthroscopic rotator cuff tear repair using muscle advancement for massive rotator cuff tear: a systematic review.Clinics in shoulder and elbow · 2025Review
- Arthroscopic-Assisted Middle Trapezius Transfer Using an Achilles Tendon Allograft in Treatment of Isolated Supraspinatus Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears in Lateral Decubitus Position.Arthroscopy techniques · 2024Article
- Combined Lower Trapezius and Middle Trapezius Tendon Transfer for Posterior Superior Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears: A Case Report.Journal of orthopaedic case reports · 2024Article
- Outcomes of arthroscopic-assisted middle trapezius tendon transfer for isolated irreparable supraspinatus tendon tears: minimum 2-year follow-up.Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery · 2023Article
- Middle Trapezius Tendon Transfer for Augmentation of In Situ Superior Capsular Reconstruction-Reinforced Partial Rotator Cuff Repair: Short-term Outcomes of a Prospective Cohort Study.Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine · 2023Article
- Tendon transfers for massive rotator cuff tears.EFORT open reviews · 2022Review
- Effect of Active and Passive Function of the Posterosuperior Rotator Cuff on Compensatory Muscle Loads in the Shoulder.Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine · 2022Article
- Rotator cuff irreparability or failure of repair (re-tear): technical note on middle trapezius tendon transfer for reproduction of supraspinatus function.Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2021Article
- Letter to the editor "Middle trapezius transfer for treatment of irreparable supraspinatus tendon tears-anatomical feasibility study".Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2021Article
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Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate the anatomical feasibility of a middle trapezius transfer below the acromion for treatment of irreparable supraspinatus tendon tears.
methodsThis study involved 20 human cadaveric shoulders in 10 full-body specimens. One shoulder in each specimen was dissected and assessed for muscle and tendon extent, force vectors, and distance to the neurovascular structures. The opposite shoulder was used to evaluate the surgical feasibility of the middle trapezius transfer via limited skin incisions along with an assessment of range of motion and risk of neurovascular injury following transfer.
resultsThe harvested acromial insertion of the middle trapezius tendon showed an average muscle length of 11.7 ± 3.0 cm, tendon length of 2.7 ± 0.9 cm, footprint length of 4.3 ± 0.7 cm and footprint width of 1.4 ± 0.5 cm. The average angle between the non-transferred middle trapezius transfer and the supraspinatus was 33 ± 10° in the transversal plane and 34 ± 14° in the coronal plane. The mean distance from the acromion to the neurovascular bundle was 6.3 ± 1.3 cm (minimum: 4.0 cm). During surgical simulation there was sufficient excursion of the MTT without limitation of range of motion in a retracted scapular position but not in a protracted position. No injuries to the neurovascular structures were noted.
conclusionTransfer of the acromial portion of the middle trapezius for replacement of an irreparable supraspinatus seems to be feasible in terms of size, vector, excursion, mobility and safety. However, some concern regarding sufficiency of transfer excursion remains as scapula protraction can increase the pathway length of the transfer. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Basic Science Study/Anatomical Study.
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