Platelet-Rich Plasma and Bone Marrow Stimulation in Double-Row Rotator Cuff Repair Does Not Improve Clinical Outcomes...

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Rotator cuff tears are common, often treated with arthroscopic repair.
• Double-row suture bridge (DRSB) repair is a standard technique.
• Augmentation with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or bone marrow stimulation (BMS) aims to improve healing and reduce retears.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare clinical and radiologic outcomes of arthroscopic DRSB rotator cuff repair.
• To evaluate the efficacy of PRP and BMS augmentation versus conventional DRSB repair.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective comparative study of 141 patients (46 per group) with medium-to-large rotator cuff tears.
• Propensity score matching based on age, tear size, fatty infiltration, and smoking status.
• Assessment of clinical outcomes (VAS, ASES, SSV, UCLA, ROM) and structural integrity (retear rates) at 2-year follow-up.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in 2-year clinical scores or range of motion among the three groups.
• Significantly lower retear rates in the DRSB with PRP group (10.9%) compared to DRSB alone (30.4%) and DRSB with BMS (32.6%).
• PRP augmentation was an independent protective factor against retear; BMS did not show significant benefit.

Conclusions:

• DRSB repair augmented with PRP demonstrated lower retear rates compared to conventional DRSB or DRSB with BMS.
• BMS augmentation did not reduce retear rates compared to conventional DRSB repair.
• Clinical outcomes and range of motion were comparable across all groups at two-year follow-up.