Shoulder Synovitis Does not Affect Pain After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Surgical Research

Background:

• Rotator cuff tears are common injuries requiring surgical intervention.
• Post-operative pain management is crucial for patient recovery and satisfaction.
• Glenohumeral synovitis is an inflammatory condition within the shoulder joint.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between intra-operative glenohumeral synovitis and early post-operative pain following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.
• To determine if synovitis grading predicts pain levels in the immediate post-operative period.

Main Methods:

• Prospective enrollment of 50 patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (RCR).
• Pre-operative assessment included ASES score, VAS Pain score, forward elevation, and external rotation.
• Intra-operative synovitis was graded (0-6); post-operative pain (VAS) was recorded up to 3 months.

Main Results:

• Average intra-operative synovitis score was 2.4 ± 1.6.
• No significant correlation found between synovitis and pre-operative or post-operative pain scores.
• Pre-operative pain, ASES scores, and workers' compensation status correlated with post-operative pain.

Conclusions:

• Macroscopic glenohumeral synovitis does not significantly impact early post-operative pain after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.
• Pre-operative pain severity, baseline shoulder function (ASES), and workers' compensation status are significant predictors of post-operative pain.