Shoulder disfunction after open rotator cuff repair with acromioplasty: How to deal with deltoid rupture? Case report and literature review

Deltoid muscle rupture is a well-recognized postoperative complication after open rotator cuff repair. The anterior and middle portion of the deltoid muscle are the most common locations of muscular tearing due to the detachment needed to improve surgical access to the rotator cuff in open repair techniques. The risk of deltoid injury is increased when accessory extensive acromioplasty is performed. The literature on treatment options for deltoid muscle rupture in the setting of a failed open rotator cuff is sparse. The authors report a clinical case of a 55-year-old woman with a deltoid muscle rupture associated with a supraspinatus tendon re-tear after a failed open repair. The patient was submitted to an open supraspinatus tendon re-insertion with a double-row technique and a transosseous deltoid reattachment to its anatomical insertion into the acromion using non-absorbable sutures. In this paper, the authors aim to discuss the clinical and radiological characteristics of this entity and our surgical approach through the review of the current literature.