Neuropathy of the Suprascapular Nerve Before and After Reconstruction of the Cuff

The suprascapular nerve innervates the musculi supra- and infraspinatus, which, as part of the rotator cuff, allow lifting and external rotation in the shoulder joint. Damage to this nerve can lead to pain and functional deficit. Causes of injury are compression by bony / ligamentous anomalies, fracture sequelae and traction damage. In the literature, a (often subclinical) traction damage is increasingly claimed by a muscle retraction after rupture of the supra- and / or infraspinatus tendon as a cause of pain and functional disturbances. The retraction of the ruptured tendon-muscular unit is said to lead to traction damage of the nerve, which can be demonstrated by pathological EMG derivations. By repositioning the tendon to its outbreak site, the nerve is occasionally overstretched, so that individual authors propagate a routine nerve decompression as prophylaxis. In individual cases, a previously pathologic EMG result could be improved after reconstitution of an rotator cuff rupture. However, prospective studies are not available.

It is not known how often a nerve damage is present before a rotator cuff operation and it is not known how often the tendon repair leads to nerve damage or recovery of damage. It is not known whether the surgical nerve decompression is associated with reduced postoperative pain and what a profit or what risks bring about a routine decompression of the nerve to the patient. To answer this question, this prospective randomized study is to be carried out.