Does Having a Rotator Cuff Repair Before Total Shoulder Arthroplasty Influence Outcomes?

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Shoulder Reconstruction
• Arthroplasty

Background:

• Rotator cuff repair (RCR) procedures are increasingly common.
• Total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) is an effective treatment for glenohumeral osteoarthritis in patients with a functioning rotator cuff.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of TSA in patients who previously underwent ipsilateral RCR.
• To compare TSA outcomes in patients with a history of RCR versus those without.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study (Level of evidence, 3) included patients who underwent TSA after ipsilateral RCR.
• Outcomes were assessed using American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores.
• A matched control group of patients who underwent TSA without prior RCR was used for comparison.

Main Results:

• 14 patients with prior RCR showed significant ASES score improvements at 2 and 5 years post-TSA.
• No significant difference in ASES scores was observed at 2 or 5 years between the prior RCR group and the matched control group.

Conclusions:

• TSA provides significant clinical outcome improvements for patients with a history of prior ipsilateral RCR.
• Prior RCR does not negatively impact TSA outcomes at 2 or 5 years.