Functional Outcome of Arthroscopic Single-row Rotator Cuff Repair Using the PENN Shoulder Score - A Prospective...

Rotator cuff tears are a common cause of shoulder pain and disability. Arthroscopic repair is the preferred surgical approach for symptomatic full-thickness tears that fail conservative management. Single-row and double-row techniques are widely used, but clinical outcomes for small-to-medium tears are often comparable. This study aimed to evaluate functional outcomes following arthroscopic single-row rotator cuff repair using the Penn shoulder score (PSS).

Thirty patients (aged 18-60 years) with small-to-medium full-thickness rotator cuff tears, unresponsive to at least 6 months of non-operative management, underwent arthroscopic single-row repair with bioabsorbable suture anchors. Patients were evaluated using the PSS preoperatively and at follow-up visits at 2, 6, 10, 24 weeks, and final review (~12 months). The PSS evaluates pain, function, and patient satisfaction on a 100-point scale. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests (P < 0.05).

The cohort had a mean age of 38.9 years; 70% were male. All tears were either small or medium per Cofield's classification. The mean PSS improved from 30.4 ± 3.9 preoperatively to 98.4 ± 3.8 at final follow-up (P < 0.001), with significant gains at each interval. At 1 year, 93.3% achieved an "Excellent" outcome, and all patients were satisfied with their results. No re-tears or major complications were reported.

Arthroscopic single-row rotator cuff repair provides excellent functional outcomes and high patient satisfaction for small-to-medium tears. The technique is cost-effective and safe, making it especially suitable for resource-constrained settings like India.