Analysis of influencing factors of early pain after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair

Abstract

To evaluate the influencing factors that affect early pain after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. A clinical data of 592 patients who met the selection criteria and underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair between June 2018 and October 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 239 males and 353 females, with an average age of 58.1 years (range, 32-81 years). Before operation and at 3 days, 6 weeks, and 3 months after operation, the pain degree of patients was evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS) score; and the patients were divided into no pain or mild pain group and moderate to severe pain group according to the postoperative VAS score. Preoperative and intraoperative related factors were included for univariate analysis, including age, gender, body mass index, preoperative VAS score, history of frozen shoulder, history of hypertension, history of diabetes, history of smoking, affected tendons (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, or subscapularis tendon injury), supraspinatus muscle atrophy, fatty infiltration, operation time, degree of rotator cuff tear, number of anchors, and whether to perform acromioplasty. The influencing factors of postoperative pain were screened; further logistic regression was used to conduct multivariate analysis to screen for risk factors. Moderate to severe pain occurred in 440 patients (74.3%) at 3 days after operation, 382 patients (66.2%) at 6 weeks, and 141 patients (23.8%) at 3 months. Multivariate analysis showed that the women, partial-thickness rotator cuff tear, and acromioplasty were risk factors for pain at 3 days after operation ( P<0.05); the women, combined with fatty infiltration, partial-thickness rotator cuff tear, and acromioplasty were the risk factors at 6 weeks ( P<0.05); and the women, combined with fatty infiltration, and partial-thickness rotator cuff tear were risk factors at 3 months ( P<0.05). Among patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, women, those with smaller rotator cuff tears, combined with fatty infiltration, and acromioplasty have more severe pain within 3 months after operation, and attention should be paid to postoperative analgesia in these patients management, providing an individualized approach to rehabilitation, and closer follow-up.