Lost to Follow-Up: Does it Matter After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A Matched Cohort Analysis of Functional Outcomes

Background: The mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)–based tissue engineering approach has been developed to improve the treatment of rotator cuff tears. Hypothesis/Purpose: The purpose was to determine the effect of an injection of adipose-derived MSCs loaded in fibrin glue during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair on clinical outcomes and to evaluate its effect on structural integrity using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The hypothesis was that the application of adipose-derived MSCs would improve outcomes after the surgical repair of a rotator cuff tear. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Among 182 patients treated with arthroscopic surgery for a rotator cuff tear, 35 patients treated with arthroscopic rotator cuff repair alone (conventional group) were matched with 35 patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with an injection of adipose-derived MSCs loaded in fibrin glue (injection group) based on sex, age, and lesion size. Outcomes were assessed with respect to the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, range of motion (ROM) (including forward flexion, external rotation at the side, and internal rotation at the back), and functional measures of the Constant score and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder rating scale. Repaired tendon structural integrity was assessed by using MRI at a minimum of 12 months after surgery, and the mean clinical follow-up was 28.8 ± 4.2 months in the conventional group and 28.3 ± 3.8 months in the injection group. Results: The mean VAS score at rest and during motion improved significantly in both groups after surgery. However, there were no significant differences between the groups at the final follow-up ( P = .256 and .776, respectively). Compared with preoperative measurements, forward flexion and external rotation at the side significantly improved at the final follow-up in both groups (all P < .05). However, no significant improvements in internal rotation at the back were observed in either group ( P = .625 and .834 for the conventional and injection groups, respectively). There were also no significant differences between the groups at the final follow-up for any of the 3 ROM positions (all P > .05). The mean Constant score and UCLA score improved significantly in both groups after surgery, but there were no significant differences between the groups at the final follow-up ( P = .634 and .302, respectively). MRI indicated a retear rate of 28.5% in the conventional group and 14.3% in the injection group ( P < .001). Conclusion: This study revealed that an injection of adipose-derived MSCs loaded in fibrin glue during rotator cuff repair could significantly improve structural outcomes in terms of the retear rate. There were, however, no clinical differences in the 28-month period of follow-up. Although still in the early stages of application, MSC augmentation of surgical rotator cuff repair appears useful for providing an adequate biological environment around the repair site.

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Randomized Prospective Trial of Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff With or Without Acromioplasty: No Difference in Patient-reported Outcomes at Long-term Follow-up

Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1177/2325967118s00080 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (7_suppl4) ◽

pp. 2325967118S0008 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Brian Robert Waterman ◽

Jonathan Newgren ◽

Anirudh K. Gowd ◽

Brandon C. Cabarcas ◽

Bernard R. Bach ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rotator Cuff ◽

Rotator Cuff Repair ◽

Patient Reported Outcomes ◽

Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair ◽

Patient Reported ◽

Long Term Follow Up ◽

Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff ◽

Cuff Repair

Objectives: To evaluate long-term clinical outcomes after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with and without acromioplasty. Methods: Between 2007-2011, prospectively-enrolled patients undergoing arthroscopic repair for full-thickness rotator cuff tears were previously randomized into either acromioplasty or non-acromioplasty groups. Patients with death, advanced neurologic conditions, or subsequent shoulder arthroplasty were excluded. Baseline and long-term follow-up questionnaires, including the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), Simple Shoulder Test (SST), University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, and Constant scores were obtained. Rates of revision rotator cuff surgery, or secondary reoperation were recorded. Averages with standard deviation (SD) were calculated, and t-tests were utilized to compare outcomes of interest between cohorts. Results: After exclusion of 5 additional patients from the short-term follow-up study, 66 of 90 patients (73.3%) were available at 92.4 months (±10.5). Comparison of baseline demographics and intraoperative information revealed no significant differences, including age, gender, workers compensation, acute mechanism of injury, tear size, degree of retraction, and surgical technique (e.g. single- vs. double-row). At final follow-up, there were no statistically significant differences according to ASES (p=0.33), VAS pain (p=0.79), Constant (p=0.17), SST (p=0.05), UCLA (p=0.19), and SF-12 (p=0.79) in patients with and without acromioplasty (Figure 1). One patient with acromioplasty (2.9%) and two patients without acromioplasty (6.3%) sustained atraumatic recurrent rotator cuff tear with secondary repair (p=0.99). Conclusion: Combined acromioplasty and rotator cuff repair offer no significant long-term benefits in patient-reported outcomes or secondary surgery when compared to arthroscopic rotator cuff repair alone. [Figure: see text]

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Sex-Based Differences in Patient-Reported Outcomes After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair

Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1177/2325967119881959 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (11) ◽

pp. 232596711988195

Author(s):

Stephen D. Daniels ◽

Cory M. Stewart ◽

Kirsten D. Garvey ◽

Emily M. Brook ◽

Laurence D. Higgins ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rotator Cuff ◽

Rotator Cuff Repair ◽

Patient Reported Outcomes ◽

Surgical Techniques ◽

Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair ◽

Patient Reported ◽

The Mean ◽

Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff ◽

Cuff Repair

Background: Rotator cuff repair is one of the most common surgical procedures performed on the shoulder. Previous studies have indicated that pain and disability can vary significantly between patients with similarly appearing rotator cuff tears on diagnostic imaging. Prior literature has compared functional outcomes between operative and nonoperative treatments as well as variability in surgical techniques. However, few studies have examined postoperative outcomes based on patient factors such as sex. Purpose: To compare patient-reported outcomes after rotator cuff repair between men and women. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: A total of 283 patients (153 male, 130 female) who underwent primary arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were included in this study; of those, 275 patients (97.2%) completed 1-year follow-up. Patient-reported pain visual analog scale (VAS), Veterans RAND 12-item Health Survey (VR-12 mental and physical components), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) scores were collected preoperatively and at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year postoperatively using an electronic outcomes system. Results: Women reported higher VAS pain scores when compared with men preoperatively ( P < .01) and at 2 weeks ( P < .01), 6 weeks ( P < .01), and 3 months ( P = .02) postoperatively. Additionally, women experienced a greater overall change in the mean VAS score preoperatively when compared with 1 year postoperatively ( P < .01). The use of narcotic pain medication 2 weeks after surgery was greater in women ( P = .032). Women had significantly lower preoperative VR-12 mental scores ( P = .03) and experienced a greater increase in the mean VR-12 mental score preoperatively when compared with 1 year postoperatively ( P < .01). Men had higher ASES scores preoperatively ( P < .01) and at 3 months postoperatively ( P < .01). Women experienced a greater overall change in the ASES score preoperatively when compared with 1 year postoperatively ( P < .01). Conclusion: Women reported greater pain and decreased shoulder function compared with men during the initial 3 months after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. There were no sex-based differences in patient-reported outcomes at 1-year follow-up. The results of this study indicate that there are sex-related differences in the early postoperative recovery of patients undergoing rotator cuff repair, contributing to postoperative expectations for both clinicians and patients alike.

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