Contribution of platelet-rich plasma to the surgical treatment of rotator cuff tear: An experimental study

Shoulder rotator cuff tears are a common condition, which under specific indications is treated with arthroscopic repair. The optimal treatment aims at alleviating shoulder pain, the return of shoulder functionality and the prevention of recurrence of symptoms. The aim of the present study was to investigate and describe the augmentation of arthroscopic repair of rotator cuff tears with platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) treatment postoperatively, and its effects on pain, shoulder functionality and risk of retear. A total of 51 patients were divided into two groups. The treatment group received a subacromial PRP injection in the direct postoperative period after arthroscopic repair of rotator cuff tears, while the control group underwent arthroscopic treatment alone. There was no statistically significant difference in the verbal numeric rating score at 30 days postoperatively and the Constant-Murley and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons shoulder scores at 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively between the two groups. However, the patients in the treatment group exhibited a statistically significant improvement of both scores between the 3- and 6-month timepoints, which was not observed in the control group. A smaller portion of the treatment group had rotator cuff retears compared with the control group (42.86 vs. 75.00%), although this was not statistically significant. It has not yet been adequately established that PRP treatment can provide additional benefits when combined with surgical treatment of rotator cuff tears. Further research with larger sample sizes may provide sufficient data concerning a possible protective effect on the postoperative retear risk. The trial has been registered on ClinicalTrials.gov under number NCT07689383 (submission date, July 1, 2026) and can be accessed at: clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07689383?term=NCT07689383&viewType=Card&rank=1.