09 Aug New study published: undersurface rotator cuff repair — 1000 cases, 1.4% retear rate
We’re delighted to share that our latest research has just been published in JSES International.
Partial-thickness tears of the supraspinatus tendon — where the tendon is only partly detached from its attachment to the bone — are common and can be difficult to repair reliably. The study reports on a technique developed by Professor Murrell: the tear is first converted to a full-thickness tear arthroscopically, and then repaired from its undersurface using the Opus knotless anchor system (Smith & Nephew).
Across 1000 consecutive patients followed prospectively, this approach achieved a retear rate of just 1.4% — pointing to a reliable, durable repair for these common shoulder injuries.
Congratulations to the whole team: Victor Chen, Dineth Fernando, Alvin Deng, Chen Zhang, Stone Sima, James Bilbrough, Eric Kang, Ala Hawa, Mina Shenouda, Lisa Hackett, Patrick Lam and George Murrell.
Watch the video below to see the surgical technique demonstrated:
For the full study and results, read the paper in JSES International: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseint.2026.101778