Introduction: Anatomical tendon-to-bone repair of retracted rotator cuff tear is a difficult challenge given the high rate of recurrence. Hypothesis: The study hypothesis was that side-to-side repair of U-shaped retracted tear allows tendon healing with satisfactory medium-term clinical results. Materials and methods: Between 1999 and 2007,35 patients (mean age 53.5 years) were operated on with this open technique. On the De Orio and Cofield classification, tendon lesions were medium in 5 cases, large in 25 and massive in 5. Subacromial space was in all cases greater than 7 mm. Fatty infiltration grade was less than or equal to 2 on Goutallier's classification in all cases except for 1 grade 3 (supraspinatus only). At last follow-up, patients were assessed clinically (Constant score) and radiographically. Tendon healing was assessed by ultrasound (31 cases) or CT-arthrography (4 cases). Results: Mean follow-up was 60 months. Constant score improved significantly, from 64.7 +/- 10 preoperatively to 77.1 +/- 14 postoperatively (P<0.05). Recurrence rate was 17.1%. Subacromial space was <6 mm postoperatively in 2 cases. Discussion: Side-to-side repair, bringing the posterior cuff onto the anterior edge of the tear, allowed tension-free repair of retracted tear if the preoperative reparability criteria are met: subacromial space equal to or greater than 7 mm, and absence of fatty infiltration significantly greater than grade 2 on the Goutallier classification. Under these conditions, clinical and anatomical results were satisfactory at a mean 5 years' follow-up