Rotator cuff tears are common, and rotator cuff repair represents a major health care expense. While patients often benefit from rotator cuff repair, anatomic failure of the repair is not unusual.
To identify the published evidence on the factors associated with retears and with suboptimal clinical outcomes of rotator cuff repairs.
Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of articles with evidence levels 1-4.
In spite of a dramatic increase in the number of publications per year, there is little evidence that the results of rotator cuff repair are improving. The information needed to guide the management of this commonly treated and costly condition is seriously deficient. To accumulate the evidence necessary to inform practice, future clinical studies on the outcome of rotator cuff repair must report important data relating to each patient's condition, the surgical technique, the outcome in terms of integrity, and the change in patient self-assessed comfort and function.
Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.
Rotator cuff tears are common, and rotator cuff repair represents a major health care expense. While patients often benefit from rotator cuff repair, anatomic failure of the repair is not unusual.
To identify the published evidence on the factors associated with retears and with suboptimal clinical outcomes of rotator cuff repairs.
Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of articles with evidence levels 1-4.
In spite of a dramatic increase in the number of publications per year, there is little evidence that the results of rotator cuff repair are improving. The information needed to guide the management of this commonly treated and costly condition is seriously deficient. To accumulate the evidence necessary to inform practice, future clinical studies on the outcome of rotator cuff repair must report important data relating to each patient's condition, the surgical technique, the outcome in terms of integrity, and the change in patient self-assessed comfort and function.
Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.