Acute massive rotator cuff rupture with posterior shoulder dislocation: arthroscopic novel repair of a rare injury. A case report

Acute massive rotator cuff tears and posterior shoulder dislocations are an extremely rare association, and a vast majority are treated by open surgery. We present a case of a man in his 20s who suffered closed left shoulder trauma after a road traffic accident. He was initially diagnosed with posterior shoulder dislocation and a reduction was successfully performed. However, the patient still complained of persistent weakness during active movements. We found a massive rotator cuff tear involving all the rotator cuff tendons, with significant supraspinatus retraction and persistent posterior shoulder subluxation. He underwent an all-arthroscopic repair of the rotator cuff with a double-row technique in the subscapularis, supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles. Capsular repair and tenodesis of the biceps tendon were also performed. The patient had good recovery, reaching full preinjury function 3 months after surgery with a successful return to his regular activities.