No Functional Difference Between Three and Six Weeks of Immobilization After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Non-Inferiority Trial

Background:Rotator cuff tears are common injuries that are reliably treated witharthroscopic repair, producing good to excellent results. The WesternOntario Rotator Cuff (WORC) index is a validated disease-specific instrumentused to assess patient outcomes; however, no study to date has correlatedWORC index with treatment failure.Purpose:To evaluate the WORC index as a predictor for successful treatment inarthroscopic rotator cuff repair. An additional purpose was to identifypatient and tear characteristics associated with risk of treatmentfailure.Study Design:Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:This study reviewed a total of 500 patients who underwent arthroscopicrotator cuff repair with a minimum of 2-year follow-up. Patient charts werereviewed for treatment failures, defined as persistent or recurrent shoulderpain or weakness, leading to further workup and identification of a failureto heal or recurrent tear by magnetic resonance imaging. Patient demographicand comorbidity data were gathered and correlated with risk of failure. Allpatients completed WORC questionnaires, and scores were correlated with riskof treatment failure.Results:There were 28 (5.6%) treatment failures at a median 28 weeks (SD, 42 weeks)postoperatively. Patients claiming workers’ compensation were 3.21 timesmore likely (odds ratio; P = .018) to fail treatment.Posterior interval tears (those including infraspinatus) were 3.14 timesmore likely (P = .01) to fail than anterior interval tears.Tear size was associated with treatment failure; the odds of failure was3.24 for a 2-tendon tear and 5.83 for a 3-tendon tear (P =.03). Tears involving the nondominant arm were associated with an increasedrisk of failure by a factor of 3.04 (95% CI, 1.01-9.11; P =.047). A WORC score ≥80 was associated with a 95% probability of treatmentsuccess at 1 year.Conclusion:After arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, patients with WORC scores ≥80 at 1year have a 95% probability of successful treatment and likely do notbenefit from continued follow-up visits. Furthermore, several risk factorswere identified that may influence outcomes after rotator cuff repair,including workers’ compensation, location of tear, tear size, and handdominance.

PurposeRotator cuff (RC) tear is one of the most common injuries of the shoulder. Patients with RC tears often report a trauma initiating shoulder pain and impaired function. The aim of this retrospective analysis of a prospectively registered cohort was to elucidate whether the time interval between the trauma and RC repair, using a cut off of 3 months, affects the functional outcome after 2 years.MethodsIn a single orthopedic unit, 819 consecutive patients were treated with rotator cuff repair during the period from 2010 to 2014 and 733 of the patients completed the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff (WORC) index preoperatively and at 2-year follow-up. The Constant–Murley (CM) score was completed by trained physiotherapists after a clinical examination both preoperatively and at 2-year follow-up. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed in all patients and postoperatively in 65% of the included patients. Re-tears and partial repairs were excluded, as were patients with pseudoparalysis who were given high priority and underwent surgery during the first 3 weeks after trauma.ResultsOf the 733 treated patients, 437 (60%) reported having had a shoulder trauma in their medical history initiating their shoulder symptoms, and of these, 358 met the inclusion criteria. 296 patients with non-traumatic tears, 9 repairs done within 3 weeks after trauma, 25 partial repairs, 33 re-tears and 12 others were excluded. At 2-year follow-up there was no significant difference in WORC index (n.s.) or CM score (n.s.) between patients who had their RC repaired within or more than 3 months after trauma. In patients where RC repair was performed within 3 months, the WORC index improved by 42.9%, and in the group of patients operated later than 3 months, the increase was 38.7%. This difference between the groups was neither statistically significant (n.s.) nor clinically relevant. On postoperative MRI, 80% of the repairs were healed in both groups.ConclusionIn this retrospective cohort study, no differences in clinical outcome were found when RC repair was performed between 3 weeks and 3 months or later than 3 months after injury in patients describing their onset of symptoms as traumatic.Level of evidenceIII.

Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, and validity of the Italian version of the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff (WORC) Index in subjects with rotator cuff diseases.

Objectives:To prospectively evaluate the effect of early versus delayed motion on repair integrity on 6-month postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans following rotator cuff repair, and to correlate repair integrity with clinical and functional outcomes. We hypothesized that repair integrity would differ between the early and delayed groups and that patients with repair failures would have worse clinical and functional outcomes.Methods:This was a prospective, randomized, single blinded clinical trial comparing an early motion (post-op day 2-3) to a delayed motion (post-op day 28) rehabilitation protocol following arthroscopic repair of isolated supraspinatus tears. All patients underwent MRI at 6 months post-operatively as part of the study protocol. A blinded board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon (not part of the surgical team) reviewed operative photos and video to confirm the presence of a full thickness supraspinatus tear and to ensure an adequate and consistent repair. The same surgeon along with a blinded sports medicine fellowship-trained musculoskeletal radiologist independently reviewed all MRIs to determine whether the repair was intact at 6 months. Outcome measures were collected by independent evaluators who were also blinded to group assignment. These included the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff (WORC) index, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) ratings, pain scores, sling use, and physical exam data. Enrolled patients were followed at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year.Results:From October 2008 to April 2012, 73 patients met all inclusion criteria and were willing to participate. 36 patients were randomized to delayed motion and 37 were randomized to early motion. The final study group at 6 months consisted of 58 study participants. Postoperative MRIs were obtained on all of these patients at 6 months regardless of whether or not they were progressing as expected. These MRIs demonstrated an overall failure rate of 29%. This did not differ significantly based on early or late motion, with 9 (26%) tears occurring in the delayed motion group compared to 10 (32%) in the early motion group (p=0.70). When patients with repair failures were compared to those with intact cuffs, no significant differences were detected in range of motion, strength, or WORC, SANE, or pain scores at 6 months or 1 year. Interestingly, however, at 6 weeks, both WORC and SANE scores were significantly better in patients who were later found to have repair failures on MRI (p<0.05). When evaluated irrespective of rehabilitation protocol, non-compliance with sling use was associated with higher failures rates (p<0.05).Conclusion:Repair failure rates do not significantly differ between patients randomized to early and delayed motion protocols following arthroscopic single tendon rotator cuff repair. Repair failure on MRI does not correlate with clinical outcome at 6 months or 1 year. However, better subjective outcome scores at 6 weeks are associated with higher rates of repair failure at 6 months.

Postoperative Antiosteoporotic Treatment with Zoledronic Acid Improves Rotator Cuff Healing but Does Not Improve Outcomes in Female Patients with Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: A Prospective, Single-Blinded, Randomized Study

The primary goal of this retrospective review of a prospective database was to document the functional results after acute postoperative deep infection following rotator cuff repair in a single orthopaedic unit over a period of 5years. Secondary goals were to document the effect of infection on healing of the cuff repair and to describe its incidence, diagnostic challenges, pathogens and management. Patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were prospectively registered from 2010 to 2014. Eleven out of 1072 repairs developed an acute postoperative infection. The patients were examined with an MRI scan, Constant-Murley (CM) score and the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC) at final follow-up (median of 22months). All 11 patients who developed acute postoperative deep infections were males. Median age was 56years (range 41-68). All patients underwent arthroscopic debridement and biopsies were collected at a median of 26days (range 14-50) after primary surgery. In ten patients, Propionibacterium acnes was cultured, six of these patients also had positive cultures for coagulase-negative staphylococci. In the remaining patient, only coagulase-negative staphylococcus was cultured. Five patients were treated with one arthroscopic debridement, five had two arthroscopic debridements and one required arthroscopic debridement four times before the infection was eradicated. Two patients had their implants removed due to loosening of the suture anchors. All patients were treated with parenteral antibiotics for 1-4weeks, followed by oral treatment for 1-5weeks. At median 22 months (range 11-28) follow-up the median CM score was 84 and median WORC index was 81%. Ten patients had a postoperative MRI scan after a median of 23months (range 3-49), with eight presenting a healed cuff repair. The findings of this study support the rapid, targeted intervention of acute postoperative infection after RC repair with immediate arthroscopic debridement, irrigation and biopsies for bacteriological diagnostics followed by parenteral antibiotics. Furthermore, repeated arthroscopic debridement and irrigation are recommended if signs of infection persist. Removal of the implant is rarely needed. Despite the postoperative acute infection, these patients presented good functional results at final follow-up. Level III.

Biomechanical studies have shown that the transosseous equivalent suture bridge (TOE-SB) rotator cuff repair technique improves contact areas and pressure between the tendon and footprint, which may facilitate healing. However, few studies have directly compared its outcomes with traditional double-row (DR) repair. The primary objectives of this study were to (1) compare the functional outcomes of DR with TOE-SB fixation in patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs and (2) compare healing rates between the 2 groups and investigate whether any factors were associated with healing. It was hypothesized that arthroscopic rotator cuff repair using DR repair would demonstrate no difference in disease-specific quality of life, patient-reported outcomes, or healing rates compared with TOE-SB repair. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. This was a cohort study conducted as a subanalysis of 2 larger randomized controlled trials. Patients ≥18 years old with degenerative rotator cuff tears confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging who had persistent symptoms of pain and functional impairment after 6 months of nonoperative management were enrolled in prospective randomized controlled trials and underwent either a traditional DR repair or a TOE-SB rotator cuff repair. Functional outcomes were assessed using the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff index, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, and the Constant score at baseline and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. Healing rates were determined using ultrasound at 24 months postoperatively. A total of 184 patients were included in this study; 34 patients underwent conventional DR repair and 150 underwent TOE-SB repair. Postoperative changes in the outcome measures from baseline were statistically significant for all outcomes in both groups (P < .0001). No statistically significant differences were found between outcomes at any of the follow-up times, except a significant difference in the Constant score at 24 months in favor of the DR group (mean ± SE, 80.5 ± 1.1 [95% CI, 78.4-82.7]) and TOE-SB and DR, respectively (mean ± SE, 85.7 ± 2.2 [95% CI, 81.2-90.1]) (P = .041). Healing rates were 77.8% for DR and 83% for TOE-SB (odds ratio, 1.34 [95% CI, 0.53-3.38]; P = .53). Multivariable regression analysis showed a positive correlation between nonhealing rates and the rotator cuff tear size in the sagittal plane (odds ratio, 1.97 (95% CI, 1.02-3.78); P = .042). No difference was found between DR and TOE-SB rotator cuff repair in the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff index, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Constant strength subscore, or the healing rate. The Constant score at the 24-month follow-up favored DR repair but did not reach the minimal clinically important difference. An association was found between higher healing rates and smaller sagittal plane tear sizes.

Recently there have been several evolving trends in the practice of shoulder surgery. Arthroscopic subacromial decompression has been performed with greater frequency by orthopaedic surgeons, and there has been considerable recent interest in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. The purpose of this study was to identify trends in practice patterns for subacromial decompression and rotator cuff repair over time and in relation to the location of practice, fellowship training, and declared subspecialty of the surgeon. We reviewed the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery Part II database to identify patterns in the utilization of open and arthroscopic subacromial decompression and rotator cuff repair among candidates for board certification. All procedures involving only arthroscopic or open subacromial decompression and/or rotator cuff repair from 2004 to 2009 were identified. The rates of arthroscopic and open subacromial decompression and/or rotator cuff repair were compared in terms of year, geographic region, fellowship training, and declared subspecialty of the surgeon. Between 2004 and 2009, 12,136 surgical procedures involving only arthroscopic or open subacromial decompression and/or rotator cuff repair were performed. There were significant differences in treatment with respect to year, geographic region of practice, declared subspecialty, and fellowship training (p < 0.001). There was a significant increase over time in the utilization of arthroscopy among all candidates (p < 0.001). Surgeons with sports medicine fellowship training or a sports-medicine-declared subspecialty performed significantly more subacromial decompressions and rotator cuff repairs arthroscopically than all other candidates (p < 0.001). During this time period, there was a significant decrease in the rate of arthroscopic subacromial decompression, both as an isolated procedure and combined with arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (p < 0.001). From 2004 to 2009, there was a significant shift throughout the United States toward arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and subacromial decompression among young orthopaedic surgeons, with sports medicine fellowship-trained surgeons performing more of their procedures arthroscopically than surgeons with other training. However, there was an increasing frequency of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair performed without subacromial decompression, and, overall, there was a decrease in the frequency of isolated arthroscopic subacromial decompression over time.

Although rotator cuff injures are often associated with a limited range of motion and muscle weakness, being able to conduct pain-free and efficient performances of the activities as part of daily living seems to be more important for patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between two questionnaires—the disease-specific, subjective questionnaire termed the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC), and the shoulder-specific, subjective-objective questionnaire Constant–Murley score (CMS), with the objective assessment of external rotator muscle strength, and the subjective assessment of pain according to the visual analog scale (VAS) in patients after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. The study was carried out among 47 patients twice—6 and 12 months after surgery, respectively. All patients completed the WORC, the CMS, and the VAS. Isokinetic evaluation of the external rotators was performed using the Biodex 4 ProSystem. The correlations of all assessed muscle strength parameters with both the CMS and the WORC were found to be statistically significant, being mostly average during the 1st examination and mostly strong during the 2nd examination. There was a significant improvement in all assessed tools as a result of the undertaken rehabilitation. There were weak correlations present between changes in the WORC and changes in the external rotator muscle strength, with correlations between WORC-Sport and EXT900-AVERAGE-POWER and PEAK-TORQUE also being found statistically significant. Correlations of changes in the CMS scale with changes in the external rotator muscle strength were weak and statistically insignificant. It seems that the WORC questionnaire can be recommended more for the population after rotator cuff repair, which allows for a reliable assessment of patients’ ability to function and its changes in various areas of life, and at the same time does not require a direct assessment by a clinician or researcher.

Influence of dominant- as compared with nondominant-side symptoms on Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand and Western Ontario Rotator Cuff scores in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy

Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) correlates with American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score and Western Ontario Rotator Cuff index in patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair

Return to recreational sport and clinical outcomes with at least 2 years follow-up after arthroscopic repair of rotator cuff tears

Background: Although shoulder function is reported to be generally good after rotator cuff repair, limited knowledge exists regarding which prognostic factors predict functional outcomes. Purpose: To identify pre- and perioperative predictors of functional outcomes after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A cohort of 733 consecutive patients treated with rotator cuff repair between 2010 and 2014 in a single orthopaedics unit was included. Data were collected prospectively and included pre- and perioperative variables. Univariate and multivariable linear regression analyses were used to predict shoulder function at 2-year follow-up, as measured by the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC). Results: In total, 647 (88%) patients were followed for 25 ± 5 months (mean ± SD; range, 17-66 months). In the multivariable regression model, the adjusted R2 was 0.360, indicating that 36% of the variation in the WORC at final follow-up could be explained by this statistical model. The multivariable linear regression analysis revealed that the strongest positive independent predictors of shoulder function at 2 years were preoperative WORC and Constant-Murley score in the contralateral shoulder. The model also indicated that activities of daily living, age, subacromial decompression, and biceps surgery had independent positive associations with better shoulder function at 2 years. In addition, previous surgery in the ipsilateral or contralateral shoulder, smoking, partial rotator cuff repair, preoperative pain, and atrophy in the infraspinatus were all independent factors negatively associated with shoulder function after 2 years. The overall healing rate of complete repairs per magnetic resonance imaging was 80%. Conclusion: The most important finding of the present study was that the strongest prognostic factors for better WORC at 2-year follow-up were better preoperative WORC and Constant-Murley score in the contralateral shoulder. Although not all the prognostic factors identified in this study are modifiable, they can still be useful for guiding patients in shared decision making with the surgeon. This cohort study shows that if selection of patients is performed properly, it is possible to obtain a successful outcome.

Does statin-treated hyperlipidemia affect rotator cuff healing or muscle fatty infiltration after rotator cuff repair?

Prognostic factors for recovery after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair: a prognostic study