Long-term prognoses of patients with and without re-rupture after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair

[Purpose] We followed-up patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) for 2 years to assess the prognosis of rotator cuff tears and compared the outcomes of the patients with and without re-rupture. We also examined the usefulness of Shoulder36, a self-assessment tool, for assessing the long-term prognosis in patients undergoing ARCR. [Participants and Methods] We included 28 patients who received occupational therapy pre- and post-ARCR between April 2012 and August 2015 and categorized them based on the occurrence of re-rupture. We followed-up on their prognoses for 2 years using physical examination and Shoulder36 assessment. [Results] Re-rupture occurred in five patients within 3 months of treatment. During the 2 year follow-up, the control group showed a significant improvement in pain and bi-directional active range of motion during physical assessment and in five out of six domains during Shoulder36 assessment. In contrast, the re-rupture group showed significant differences for only three domains of the Shoulder36 assessment twelve months after surgery. [Conclusion] We confirmed the long-term functional improvement and maintenance in the re-rupture group, suggesting that continued rehabilitation, compensatory movements, and detailed guidance on daily life activities are required for patients after ARCR. Furthermore, Shoulder36 can be useful for assessing the prognosis of patients with and without re-rupture.