Evaluating equivalency of treatment effectiveness: the example of arthroscopic and mini-open rotator cuff repairs

In the fast evolving world of surgical technology, selecting the best surgical treatment in the absence of sufficient evidence is challenging. With the increasing interest in using less invasive surgeries, arthroscopic rotator cuff repair has become popular. Large randomized controlled studies with rigorous methodology are required to examine the differences between this approach and more traditional methods. Until such studies are complete, clinicians need to appraise the present literature cautiously.