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Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair: Is healing enough?
Marko Nabergoj1, Nima Bagheri2, Nicolas Bonnevialle3
1Valdoltra Orthopaedic Hospital, Ankaran, Slovenia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, SI 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Surgery & Research : OTSR
|October 10, 2021
Summary
Female gender negatively impacts outcomes after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, even with a healed supraspinatus tendon. Further research should explore psychosocial factors influencing patient recovery and final clinical results.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Sports Medicine
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair offers good clinical outcomes, but predictive factors for success remain unclear.
- Understanding factors influencing patient recovery is crucial for optimizing surgical results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess clinical outcomes in patients with healed supraspinatus tendons post-arthroscopic repair.
- To identify pre- and peri-operative predictors of successful clinical outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A multi-center prospective study followed 188 patients with healed isolated supraspinatus tears after arthroscopic double-row repair.
- Patients aged <70, with Stage 0-I fatty infiltration, underwent assessment using Constant Murley Score (CMS) and Subjective Shoulder Value (SSV) pre- and post-operatively.
- Ultrasound (US) confirmed tendon healing (Sugaya Types I-III) at one year.
Main Results:
- Average postoperative CMS improved significantly from preoperative scores (79.95 vs. 53.75).
- 12.22% of patients had CMS below the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of 10 points.
- Female gender was the only significant predictor of lower postoperative scores (p=0.001), with no influence from age or preoperative factors.
Conclusions:
- A healed supraspinatus tendon does not guarantee optimal clinical outcomes after arthroscopic repair.
- Female gender is identified as a negative predictor of final clinical results.
- Future research should investigate psychosocial factors influencing outcomes in rotator cuff repair patients.
