These authors conducted a randomized controlled trial that included 56 patients with a degenerative full-thickness supraspinatus tears between January 2009 and December 2012; 31 patients were treated conservatively, and rotator cuff repair was attempted in 25 patients.
Outcome measures, including the Constant-Murley score (CMS), visual analog scale (VAS) pain and VAS disability scores, were assessed preoperatively and after 6 weeks and 3, 6, and 12 months. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed preoperatively and at 12 months postoperatively.
In the surgery group, the retear rate was 74 % by MRI (14 retears out of the 19 for which MRI's were available).
VAS pain and VAS disability were significantly lower in the surgery group at the 12-month follow-up. The four operated shoulders with intact repairs had the best CMS results.
Comment: This paper reminds us of the one on which we posted recently here. Healing does not appear to be routine after attempted rotator cuff repair.
The graph below was of particular interest
It is rare to see a such a randomized trial. The results in 60 year old patients with supraspinatus tears gives is something to think about before recommending a repair attempt.
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