Work Related Outcomes of Revision Rotator Cuff Repair for Patients Receiving Workers' Compensation.

Abstract

Workers' compensation (WC) patients are susceptible to poorer outcomes following primary rotator cuff repair (RCR). Failure of structural healing can explain some poor results and outcomes of revision RCR in this population are unknown. Retrospective review of subjects receiving WC who underwent arthroscopic revision RCR with or without dermal allograft augmentation at a single institution between January 2010 and April 2021. Preoperative MRI scans were assessed for rotator cuff tear characteristics, Sugaya classification, and Goutallier grade. Postoperative imaging was not routinely obtained unless for continued symptoms or re-injury. Primary outcome measures included return-to-work status, reoperation, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) and Single Alpha Numeric Evaluation (SANE) scores. Twenty-seven shoulders (25 patients) were included. The population was 84% male, mean age of 54, 67% manual laborers, 11% sedentary workers, and 22% with a mixed profession. Average follow-up was 35.4 months. Fifteen patients (56%) returned to work at full duty status. Six (22%) returned to work with permanent restrictions. Six (22%) were unable to return to work in any capacity. Thirty percent of all patients and 35% of manual laborers changed occupation following revision RCR. Mean time to return-to-work was 6.7 months. Overall, symptomatic rotator cuff retear was found in 13 patients (48%). Reoperation rate after revision RCR was 37% (10 cases). Among patients who did not undergo reoperation, mean ASES scores improved from 37.8 to 69.4 at final follow-up (p<0.001). Mean SANE scores only improved marginally from 51.6 to 57.0 (p=0.61). No statistically significant correlation was found between preoperative MRI findings and outcome measures. Workers' compensation patients demonstrated fair improvements in outcomes scores after revision RCR. While some patients are able to return to full duty, nearly half were either unable to return or returned with permanent restrictions. This data is helpful for surgeons when counseling patients about expectations and return to work after revision RCR in this challenging population.