In recent years, arthroscopic surgery has been widely used in the treatment of rotator cuff injury. Arthroscopic surgery for the treatment of subscapularis tendon tears has more difficulties and challenges when compared with that for supraspinatus or infraspinatus tendon tears. Most of the subscapularis tendon tears are related to degeneration, and the tendon quality is poor. At present, many improved suture methods were invented for the repair, but the operation is difficult. Different suture and fixation techniques have their own advantages and disadvantages. How to make the operation more simple and reduce the retear rate after operation is an urgent problem to be solved. Objective To investigate the early curative efficacy of "Chinese knot" suture technique for treatment of subscapularis tendon tears under shoulder arthroscopy.

Twenty-one cases of subscapularis tendon tears were treated with "Chinese knot" suture technique from February 2018 to January 2019. The Bear Hug test, Belly press test, UCLA scores and Constant-Murley score were recorded before operation and in the 3rd month, 6th month and 12th month after operation, and they were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy. The Shoulder joint MRI examination was performed before operation and 1 year after operation to evaluate the subscapularis tendon condition.

The follow-up time was 12 to 15 months with an average time of (13.2 ± 3.8) months. Before the operation and 1 year after operation, the mean UCLA score was (9.78 ± 1.88) points vs. (29.44 ± 2.56) points, and the mean constant score was (31.34± 3.89) points vs. (78.97 ± 5.84) points, respectively. The differences of the two indexes before and after operation were statistically significant (P<0.05) . The MacNab excellent and good rate was 90.47% at 1 year after operation. Patients with positive Bear Hug test and positive Belly press test showed a significant decrease after operation. All 21 patients had continuous subscapularis MRI images in the follow up. No complications such as vascular injury, nerve injury, anchor extraction or infection occurred.

The "Chinese knot" suture technique is simple and effective for subscapularis tendon repair, and its clinical effect is reliable.