Treatment of the painful biceps tendon—Tenotomy or tenodesis?

SummaryThe function of the long head of biceps tendon in the shoulder remains controversial. Pathology of the biceps tendon such as tenosynovitis, subluxation and pre-rupture are intimately associated with rotator cuff disease. Treatment therefore varies widely among surgeons and range from non-operative management to biceps tenotomy or tenodesis. The purpose of this article is to provide an up to date review on the indications and results of biceps tenotomy and tenodesis.