LDTM Transfer Achieves 91% Return-to-Work Rate for Subscapularis Tears

Irreparable subscapularis tears present a complex management challenge for clinicians, as these injuries significantly compromise anterior shoulder stability and internal rotation, the essential ability to rotate the arm toward the body [1, 2]. While arthroscopic repair is often the primary treatment for smaller tears, chronic cases involving high-grade fatty infiltration, the replacement of muscle fibers with fat cells that indicates irreversible muscle degeneration, or significant tendon retraction frequently necessitate alternative surgical strategies [3, 4]. Tendon transfers, including the use of the pectoralis major or latissimus dorsi, aim to restore force coupling and joint kinematics in high-functioning patients [5, 1]. Although various reconstructive techniques and debridement protocols have been utilized to manage massive rotator cuff pathology, the optimal approach for restoring vocational productivity remains a subject of ongoing debate [6, 7, 2]. A new study now provides detailed evidence regarding the functional recovery and occupational outcomes associated with a specific dual-tendon transfer technique.