AJSM May 2025 Podcast: Two-Year Follow-up of a Group-Sequential, Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial of a Subacromial Balloon Spacer for Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears of the Shoulder (START:REACTS)

The best management of irreparable rotator cuff tears remains uncertain, with multiple new techniques introduced over the past 2 decades. Two options for treatment are arthroscopic debridement and biceps tenotomy, or the subacromial balloon spacer. Early trial results favored the former option, but the 2-year results have not yet been reported. In conclusion, participants continued to show better results in the debridement-only group compared with the group who had debridement with the InSpace balloon. Therefore, we do not recommend the subacromial balloon spacer for the treatment of irreparable rotator cuff tears. Click here to read the article.