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Expectations Following Rotator Cuff Surgery

  • Rotator Cuff Repair (M Tao and M Teusink, section editors)
  • Published:
Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

To outline the radiographic and clinical outcomes after a rotator cuff surgery in order to set the expectations with the patient before the surgery to obtain a better outcome, taking into account the factors that can affect the outcome and the technique used for the repair.

Recent Findings

The majority of surgeons use arthroscopic repair.

The double-row repair has better biomechanical strength, footprint coverage, and radiographic healing rates.

The principal factors that can affect the outcome of the surgery are the tendon quality, tear size and retraction, fatty infiltration, chronicity of the tear, and concomitant pathologies.

Summary

Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair can decrease pain and increase function allowing patients to improve their quality of life; 90% of patients are happy 6 months after the surgery and maintain stability during 5 years. Greater preoperative expectations would show better outcomes and patient satisfaction after the surgery.

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References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance ••Of major importance

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70th Street, New York, NY, 10021, USA

    Alejandro Novoa-Boldo & Lawrence V. Gulotta

Authors
  1. Alejandro Novoa-Boldo
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  2. Lawrence V. Gulotta
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Correspondence to Lawrence V. Gulotta.

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Conflict of Interest

Lawrence Gulotta reports personal fees from Zimmer-Biomet, Inc. Alejandro Novoa-Boldo declares no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Rotator Cuff Repair

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Novoa-Boldo, A., Gulotta, L.V. Expectations Following Rotator Cuff Surgery. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med 11, 162–166 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12178-018-9470-7

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