OCT imaging during rotator cuff surgery could be minimally invasive option
This study evaluated the utility of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in imaging porcine and human rotator cuff (RTC) tissue, analyzed its effectiveness in identifying clinical pathology, and correlated these findings with histologic examination. Twelve human cadaveric and 6 porcine shoulders were evaluated.
Read full article on Healio Orthopedics.
Our take:
Researchers at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine (Los Angeles, CA) and collaborators used optical coherence tomography (OCT) to image rotator cuff tissue, comparing it to the current histologic examination method used commonly in arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Using OCT imaging, though, could provide a minimally invasive way to assess rotator cuff pathology, as histology is more invasive for patients.
In the study, the researchers evaluated 6-mm-wide bone sections from 12 human cadaveric and 6 porcine shoulders. They found that OCT correlated well with histologic evaluation in all specimens, as it provides high-resolution, subsurface imaging of rotator cuff tissue in real time to a depth of up to 4 mm. Surgeons could use OCT in arthroscopic shoulder surgery as a minimally invasive alternative for assessing rotator cuff pathology, as it decreases soft tissue dissection and improves qualitative assessment and patient outcomes.
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