Cure My Disease

Don't miss your cure!

 Log in / Sign up

Shoulder surgery debate: to repair or not to repair the rotator cuff?

NCT ID NCT05344898

Disease control Sponsor: University of Maryland, Baltimore Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 10, 2026 · Last updated Jul 10, 2026

Summary

This study compares two approaches during reverse shoulder replacement: repairing the subscapularis tendon (part of the rotator cuff) or leaving it unrepaired. The goal is to see which method leads to better shoulder function, strength, and lower risk of dislocation. Adults aged 18 to 95 undergoing reverse shoulder replacement are eligible. Participants are randomly assigned to one of the two procedures and followed for two years.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Subscapularis tendon repair procedure
What this could lead to
If repairing the tendon proves better, it could reduce the risk of shoulder dislocation and improve internal rotation strength after reverse shoulder replacement.
What could go wrong
This is a mid-sized trial with 118 participants, and results may not apply to all patients. The repair might not improve outcomes or could even limit range of motion.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 118 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Nov 2022

Expected to finish

May 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 95 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. 18 to 95 years old 2. Undergoing reverse shoulder arthroplasty for any indication including revision surgery Exclusion Criteria: 1. Irreparable Subscapularis Tendon a. Reparability of Subscapularis will be determined based on MRI or CT scan obtained preoperatively and confirmed intraoperatively. Tendons must be intact with less than Grade I or II Fatty Infiltration as determined by the Goutallier classification. 2. Any history of proximal humerus fracture 3. Any revision with proximal humerus bone loss

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Rotator cuff injuries are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Rotator Cuff Injuries rotator cuff syndrome Shoulder Injuries

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Rotator cuff injuries Shoulder injuries

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of Maryland School of Medicine

    RECRUITING

    Baltimore, Maryland, 21201, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.