Partial Articular Supraspinatus Tendon Avulsion Repair and Patch: A Technical Note for Augmenting the Supraspinatus Reinsertion with the Long Head of the Biceps Tendon

Background There is no clear consensus on the treatment of partial articular‐sided supraspinatus tendon avulsions. Debridement alone might not be sufficient to prevent further tendon degradation or alleviate patient complaints. Direct repair using a suture anchor without treating the concomitant conditions of the long head of the biceps tendon might come with residual anterior shoulder pain or even further loss of function in cases of failed repair. The purpose of the present study is to describe an arthroscopic technique by which the long head of the biceps tendon can be included in the partial articular‐sided supraspinatus tendon avulsion repair. Technique Presentation with video In this technical note we describe the arthroscopic repair and augmentation with tenotomized biceps of partial supraspinatus tendon tears to address three main concepts for successful rotator cuff repairs, namely rotator cuff biologic augmentation, tendon to bone healing and postoperative pain prevention. Conclusion The biceps tendon is a mechanically robust, locally available autograft that can be used in borderline partial articular‐sided supraspinatus tendon avulsions in order to biologically augment healing at the tendon‐bone interface without any immunogenic reactions or morbidity following harvesting. This technical note outlines a detailed arthroscopic technique for incorporating the long head of the biceps tendon into the repair of a partially avulsed supraspinatus tendon on the articular side. The authors employ this technique when the anterior articular side of the supraspinatus tendon is partially torn and the quality of the tendon is uncertain. Since a poor‐quality tendon can result in unreliable fixation, utilizing the long head of the biceps tendon as autograft can strengthen the repair, leading to improved stability, enhanced healing, and early rehabilitation.