Abstract:Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of total shoulder arthroscopy and small incision in treatment of rotator cuff tears.Methods A retrospective analysis was made of 435 patients diagnozed as rotator cuff tears and treated with total shoulder arthroscopy or small incision from January 2012 to May 2018. American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scale and University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) scoring system were evaluated to all the patients before and 6 months after surgery.Results All the patients had good results without postoperative complications such as infection and nerve and vascular injury. Among of all the patients, 23 cases had injured again after repair, 5 cases had shoulder joint dysfunction on the surgical side and 1 case lost contact. 406 patients were successfully followed up, included 258 patients receiving total shoulder arthroscopy and 148 patients receiving small incision surgery. Both total shoulder arthroscopy and small incision significantly increased ASES and UCLA scores. But these methods improved ASES and UCLA scores to similar extent.Conclusion Both total shoulder arthroscopy and small incision are efficient therapies for rotator cuff tears. Total shoulder arthroscopy has the advantages of better field of vision, less intraoperative bleeding and less postoperative pain. Small incision has advantages such as low price, easy to operate and easy promotion. The choice which surgical method depends on the physician's proficiency, instrument support and the patient's own will.