ReviewShoulder & elbow2021
Long head of biceps tenotomy versus tenodesis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Review in Shoulder & elbow, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis 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
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Guideline
- Article
- Does Concomitant Biceps Tenotomy Affect Shoulder Proprioception and Strength? A Prospective Intra‑Individual Comparison After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2025Article
- The impact of biceps tenotomy/tenodesis on Popeye sign incidence and functional outcome.JSES international · 2025Article
- Open Biceps Tenodesis and Tenotomy Have Low 30-Day Postoperative Complication Rates.Arthroscopy, sports medicine, and rehabilitation · 2024Article
- Arthroscopic Suprapectoral Retensioning Biceps Tenodesis.Arthroscopy techniques · 2024Article
- Modified arthroscopic intra-articular transtendinous looped biceps tenodesis leads to satisfactory functional outcomes and less frequent Popeye deformity compared to biceps tenotomy.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2023Article
- Minimal clinically important difference (MCID) and substantial clinical benefit (SCB) of upper extremity PROMIS scores following arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs.Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA · 2023Article
- Translation and Cultural Adaptation to Portuguese of the Long Head of Biceps Tendon Score.Revista brasileira de ortopedia · 2023Article
- The long head of biceps at the shoulder: a scoping review.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2023Article
- Arthroscopic Suprapectoral Biceps Tenodesis: The Best of Both Worlds.Arthroscopy techniques · 2022Article
- Outcomes of Biceps Tenotomy Versus Tenodesis During Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: An Analysis of Patients From a Large Multicenter Database.Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine · 2022Article
- Wide-Awake Shoulder Nanoscopic Long Head of Biceps Tenotomy.Arthroscopy techniques · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveTo compare tenotomy versus tenodesis for the treatment of long head of the biceps tendon pathologies. The primary outcome was the shoulder functional outcome. The secondary outcomes consisted of postoperative pain, elbow flexion and forearm supination strengths and postoperative complications.
methodsPubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar and Web of Science were searched until April 2020. Included studies were randomized controlled trials with a minimum 12 months' follow-up.
resultsBoth treatments had similar improvement on the Constant-Murley score at 6 months and 12 months. However, tenotomy had a significantly lower Constant-Murley score at two years with a mean difference of -1.13 (95% confidence interval -1.9, -0.35). Furthermore, tenotomy had a risk ratio of 2.46 (95% confidence interval 1.66, 3.64) for developing Popeye's deformity. No significant difference was detected in other functional outcomes, pain, or elbow flexion and forearm strength indices. DISCUSSION: Tenodesis and tenotomy are both well-established techniques that similarly yield satisfactory outcomes. Despite that tenodesis had a statistically significant better Constant-Murley score at two years, this was clinically irrelevant. With the current evidence, we recommend either technique for the management of the long head of the biceps tendon pathologies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, Level II.
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Registered trials
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