Safe time frame of staged bilateral arthroscopic rotator cuff repair

Few studies have assessed the outcomes of staged bilateral arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR). This study aimed to determine the influencing factors related to the outcomes of patients who underwent staged bilateral ARCR and to verify an optimal interval for performing the second rotator cuff repair in staged bilateral ARCR.

We analyzed 166 shoulders that underwent staged bilateral ARCR. The average interval between the first- and second-side surgical procedures was 21.9 ± 19.7 months. The minimum follow-up period was 2 years.

Clinical outcomes and retear rates were not significantly different according to the order of surgical procedures, sex, arm dominance, age, and tear size (P > .05 for all). The cutoff value for the optimal interval between the first and second surgical procedures for the University of California, Los Angeles score and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score was 9 months, with the area under the curve equal to 0.815 (P < .001) for the University of California, Los Angeles score and 0.806 (P < .001) for the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score. The group with an interval of 9 months or less between the first- and second-side surgical procedures showed significantly inferior clinical outcomes and a higher retear rate (35%) compared with the group with an interval greater than 9 months (retear rate, 10%) (P < .05).

Staged bilateral ARCR resulted in significant improvements in clinical outcomes regardless of the order of surgical procedures, sex, arm dominance, age, and tear size. To optimize clinical outcomes of staged bilateral ARCR, second-side surgery should be delayed until 9 months after the first-side surgical procedure.