Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair: 4- to 10-year results.

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to report the 4- to 10-year results of arthroscopic repair of full- thickness rotator cuff tears. This is a retrospective study evaluating a series of arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs performed by a single surgeon from February 1990 to February 1996. Retrospective chart reviews and telephone interviews were performed to evaluate the results of arthroscopic repair of rotator cuff tears. Results were evaluated using a modified University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), shoulder scoring system. One-hundred five arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs were performed in 104 patients between February 1990 and February 1996. Of these, 95 patients (96 shoulders) were available for follow-up evaluation at the time of this review. The mean UCLA score of all shoulders involved was 32. Fifty-one patients showed excellent results; 39, good; 2, fair; and 4, poor according to the modified UCLA scoring system. In no case was any loss of motion noted as a result of the surgical intervention. This retrospective study is the largest series of arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs with the longest period of follow-up thus far reported. Of the patients available for follow-up evaluation, 94% of patients qualified as a good to excellent result according to the UCLA shoulder scoring system. This study shows that patients treated with this arthroscopic rotator cuff repair technique have maintained excellent clinical outcomes 4 to 10 years after surgery. Level IV.