Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39898200›Full record

ArticleJSES international2025

Lower trapezius tendon transfer for massive irreparable rotator cuff tears improves outcomes in patients with high grade fatty infiltration of teres minor.

Eva Gusnowski, Eric Wagner, Sheila McRae, Hayden Cooke, Anthony Karzon, Michael Gottschalk, Peter MacDonald, Jarret Woodmass

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JSES international, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Eva GusnowskiOrthopaedic Surgery, Pan Am Clinic, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Eric WagnerDivision of Orthopedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Sheila McRaeDivision of Orthopaedics, Department of Surgery, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Hayden CookeDivision of Orthopedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Anthony KarzonDivision of Orthopedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Michael GottschalkDivision of Orthopedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Peter MacDonaldOrthopaedic Surgery, Pan Am Clinic, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Jarret WoodmassOrthopaedic Surgery, Pan Am Clinic, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: This study compares postoperative outcomes of lower trapezius tendon transfers (LTTTs) in massive irreparable rotator cuff (RC) tears based on the degree of teres minor (TM) fatty infiltration. Methods: In this prospective longitudinal observational study, patients with massive RC tears undergoing arthroscopic-assisted LTTT by two surgeons were screened. TM fatty infiltration on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging was graded using the Goutallier classification. Two groups were created as follows: group A included grades 0 and 1 (no or little fatty infiltration), and group B included grades 2 to 4 (moderate-to-severe fatty infiltration). Participants completed the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) score preoperatively, and 12- and/or 24 months postoperatively along with a clinical assessment. Independent t-tests compared groups, and paired t-tests compared pre-vs. postoperative results. Significance was defined as Results: There were 47 patients in group A and 19 in group B. No group differences were found in preoperative SANE score, forward elevation or active external rotation (ER). Both groups showed significant postoperative improvements in SANE score with no differences between the groups. An ER lag sign was observed in 18/47 patients (38.3%) in group A and 11/19 patients (57.9%) in group B ( Conclusion: LTTT is a suitable salvage procedure regardless of the degree of TM fatty infiltration and should be considered an alterative procedure to latissimus dorsi tendon transfer in patients with high-grade TM fatty infiltration.

Indexed as

Athroscopic-assistedFatty infiltrationGoutallierLower trapeziusMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI)Rotator cuffTendon transferTeres minor

Identifiers

PMID39898200
PMCPMC11784450

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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.