Background: Fascial autografts, which are easily available grafts, have provided a promising option in patients with massive rotator cuff tears. However, no fascial autografts other than the fascia lata have been reported, and the exact healing process of the fascia-to-bone interface is not well understood. The objective of this study is to histologically and biomechanically evaluate the effect of the thoracolumbar fascia (TLF) on fascia-to-bone healing. Methods: A total of 88 rats were used in this study. Eight rats were killed at the beginning to form an intact control group, and the other rats were divided randomly into 2 groups (40 rats per group): the TLF augmentation group (TLF group) and the repair group (R group). The right supraspinatus was detached, and a 3 Â 5 mm defect of the supraspinatus was created. The TLF was used to augment the torn supraspinatus in the TLF group, whereas in the R group, the torn supraspinatus was repaired in only a transosseous manner. Histology and biomechanics were assessed at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks postoperatively. Results: The modified tendon maturation score of the TLF group was higher than that of the R group at 8 weeks (23.00 AE 0.71 vs. 24.40 AE 0.89, P ¼ .025) and 16 weeks (24.60 AE 0.55 vs. 26.40 AE 0.55, P .001). The TLF group showed a rapid vascular reaction, and the peak value appeared at 1 week. Later, the capillary density decreased, and almost no angiogenesis was observed at 8 weeks postoperatively. Immunohistochemistry results demonstrated a significantly higher percentage of collagen I in the TLF group at 4, 8, and 16 weeks (24.78% AE 2.76% vs. 20.67% AE 2.11% at 4 weeks, P ¼ .046; 25.46% AE 1.77% vs. 21.49% AE 2.33% at 8 weeks, P ¼ .026; 34.77% AE 2.25% vs. 30.01% AE 3.17% at 16 weeks, P ¼ .040) postoperatively. Biomechanical tests revealed that the ultimate failure force in the TLF group was significantly higher than that in the R group at the final evaluation (29.13 AE 2.49 N vs. 23.10 AE 3.47 N, P ¼ .022). Conclusions: The TLF autograft can promote a faster biological healing process and a better fixation strength. It could be used as an alternative reinforcement or bridging patch when the fascia lata is not appropriate or available for superior capsule reconstruction (SCR).

Background: Superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) has been demonstrated to be a valuable treatment for patients with irreparable massive rotator cuff tears (IMRCTs). However, the torn medial supraspinatus (SSP) tendons, which acted as dynamic stabilizers, were left untreated in conventional SCR, and the dynamic force from the SSP tendon was not restored. Purpose: To evaluate the effect of dynamic SCR (dSCR) on fascia-to-bone healing in a rat model, and to compare the short-term clinical effectiveness of dSCR and SCR using autologous fascia lata (FL) in patients with IMRCTs. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study and cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A total of 50 rats were divided randomly into 2 groups: the dSCR group and the SCR group (25 rats per group). First, chronic IMRCTs were created, and then the torn tendons in both groups were subjected to SCR using autologous thoracolumbar fascial (TLF) grafts. The remnant of the SSP tendon was sutured to the medial part of the TLF graft in the dSCR group but not in the SCR group. Histologic sections were assessed at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks postoperatively. In the clinical study, 22 patients (9 SCR, 13 dSCR) were analyzed. The recovery of shoulder function, including the active range of motion (ROM), visual analog scale (VAS), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Constant score, and University of California Los Angeles score, acromiohumeral distance (AHD), and fatty infiltration, was evaluated before surgery and at the last follow-up. Results: Histologic analysis of the fascia-to-bone junction in the rat model showed that the TLF gradually migrated into tendon-like tissue over the rotator cuff defects in both groups, and the modified tendon maturation score of the fascia-to-bone interface in the dSCR group was higher than that in the SCR group at 4 weeks (12.20 ± 1.30 vs 14.60 ± 1.52; P = .004), 8 weeks (19.60 ± 1.14 vs 22.20 ± 1.10; P = .019), and 16 weeks (23.80 ± 0.84 vs 26.20 ± 0.84 P = .024). The dSCR group showed earlier fibrocartilage cell formation and angiogenesis. In the clinical study, all 22 patients completed a minimum of 12 months of follow-up after surgery, and the mean follow-up duration was 22.89 ± 7.59 months in the SCR group and 25.62 ± 7.32 months in the dSCR group. The patients in both groups showed significant improvements in terms of ROM, shoulder function scores, and AHD. At the last follow-up, abduction (56.67°± 27.39° vs 86.54°± 30.37°; P = .029), external rotation (25.00°± 9.35° vs 33.08°± 8.55°; P = .049), internal rotation cone rank (–2.78 ± 2.44 vs –4.38 ± 1.12; P = .049), VAS (–3.00 ± 0.87 vs –3.92 ± 0.95; P = .031) and Constant (47.89 ± 15.39 vs 59.15 ± 9.74; P = .048) scores, and the AHD improvement degree (3.06 ± 1.41 mm vs 4.38 ± 1.35 mm; P = .039) in the dSCR group were significantly improved compared with those in the SCR group. The results of fatty infiltration at the last follow-up showed that there was significant improvement compared with the preoperative results in both the conventional SCR ( P = .036) and the dSCR ( P = .001) groups. However, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups ( P = .511). Conclusion: dSCR can promote faster fascia-to-bone healing in a rat model, and the dSCR technique could provide a preferable treatment option for patients with IMRCTs. Clinical Relevance: dSCR might restore the dynamic of SSP in some sense and then improve the fatty infiltration in the SSP.