<i>Editorial Commentary</i> : If You're Performing Superior Capsule Reconstruction With Human Dermal Allograft, Prepare a Thick Graft

Pioneered by Mihata and then popularized in the United States by Burkhart and colleagues, superior capsule reconstruction quickly became an essential treatment for massive irreparable rotator cuff tears. More recently, enthusiasm seems to have faded as the surgery is highly resource-intensive, technically demanding, and clinical outcomes have been inconsistent, with some studies finding significant structural failure rates. The history of orthopaedic surgery is rife with examples of implants, concepts, and procedures abandoned because of suboptimal results and/or unacceptable complication rates that subsequently have been successfully reimagined, updated, or otherwise improved with subsequent broader adoption and clinical success. The results of recent literature suggest there may still be a role for superior capsule reconstruction with human dermal allograft and that surgeons performing this procedure should consider using a double-thickness folded graft.

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Publication Details

Journal
Arthroscopy The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery
Published
2026-05-10
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/arj.70210
Primary Topic
Shoulder Injury and Treatment
Type
article
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article

Editorial Commentary : If You're Performing Superior Capsule Reconstruction With Human Dermal Allograft, Prepare a Thick Graft

Theodore B. Shybut
Arthroscopy The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery
Shoulder Injury and Treatment
article

Editorial Commentary : If You're Performing Superior Capsule Reconstruction With Human Dermal Allograft, Prepare a Thick Graft

Theodore B. Shybut
article en

Abstract

Pioneered by Mihata and then popularized in the United States by Burkhart and colleagues, superior capsule reconstruction quickly became an essential treatment for massive irreparable rotator cuff tears. More recently, enthusiasm seems to have faded as the surgery is highly resource-intensive, technically demanding, and clinical outcomes have been inconsistent, with some studies finding significant structural failure rates. The history of orthopaedic surgery is rife with examples of implants, concepts, and procedures abandoned because of suboptimal results and/or unacceptable complication rates that subsequently have been successfully reimagined, updated, or otherwise improved with subsequent broader adoption and clinical success. The results of recent literature suggest there may still be a role for superior capsule reconstruction with human dermal allograft and that surgeons performing this procedure should consider using a double-thickness folded graft.

Arthroscopy The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery
Southern California Orthopedic Institute (US)
Decent work and economic growth
Openalex Percentile: Top 5%
Shoulder Injury and Treatment
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<i>Editorial Commentary</i> : If You're Performing Superior Capsule Reconstruction With Human Dermal Allograft, Prepare a Thick Graft — Theodore B. Shybut · Arthroscopy The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS