The relevance of long head biceps degeneration in the presence of rotator cuff tears.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Long head biceps (LHB) degeneration in combination with rotator cuff tears can be a source of chronic shoulder pain. LHB tenotomy is an approved surgical procedure for pain reduction and improvement of joint function, however, the pathophysiology of LHB degeneration is not fully understood. In the literature, neoangiogenesis in tendon tissue has previously been shown to be associated with tendon degeneration. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) is an important inducer of neoangiogenesis. The hypotheses are first that an elevated VEGF expression and vessel density can be found in degenerated LHB tissue and second that there is a relation between VEGF expression, vessel density and the different types of rotator cuff tears.

Methods

LHB samples of 116 patients

SUBMITTER: Lakemeier S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2936349 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature