Satisfaction, function and repair integrity after arthroscopic versus mini-open rotator cuff repair

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Shoulder Reconstruction

Background:

• Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair techniques have gained popularity, potentially reducing the use of the mini-open approach.
• The mini-open approach remains a valuable surgical option for many orthopedic surgeons.
• Rotator cuff tears are common injuries affecting shoulder function and quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the integrity of rotator cuff repairs between mini-open and arthroscopic techniques.
• To evaluate and compare shoulder function and patient satisfaction post-operatively in patients over 50 years old.
• To assess the functional outcomes and repair integrity of different surgical approaches for rotator cuff tears.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 22 patients treated with mini-open repair and 128 patients with arthroscopic repair.
• Outcome assessment included the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) and Simple Shoulder Test (SST) scores, and patient satisfaction.
• Ultrasonography was utilized to assess the integrity of the rotator cuff repair, with a mean follow-up of two years.

Main Results:

• The mini-open group demonstrated significantly higher rotator cuff repair integrity (91% vs. 60%) and better mean SST scores (10.9 vs. 8.9).
• Higher mean ASES scores were observed in the mini-open group (91.0 vs. 82.70).
• No statistically significant differences were found in patient age, overall shoulder function, satisfaction, or pain scores between the two groups.

Conclusions:

• Mini-open rotator cuff repair resulted in superior repair integrity and shoulder function compared to arthroscopic repair in patients over 50.
• Despite functional differences, patient satisfaction levels were comparable between the mini-open and arthroscopic repair groups.
• The mini-open technique remains a viable and effective option for rotator cuff repair, even with advancements in arthroscopic surgery.