Healed cuff repairs impart normal shoulder scores in those 65 years of age and older.
BACKGROUND
It is unclear whether repaired rotator cuffs heal in older patients and whether the function in those shoulders compares with those of similarly aged patients with untreated tears.


OBJECTIVE
We questioned whether, in patients 65 years of age and older, shoulders with rotator cuff repairs that remained intact would have Simple Shoulder Test (SST) scores and Constant scores similar to those of untreated individuals with intact rotator cuffs.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed 39 patients (42 shoulders) 65 years of age and older in whom 42 full-thickness rotator cuff tears were repaired with a mini open technique. All patients completed SST and Constant scores 12 to 60 months postoperatively; all patients also had ultrasound at those times to assess the status of the repair. These findings were compared with 200 untreated similarly aged shoulders assessed in the same fashion.


RESULTS
Shoulders with healed repairs (33 of 42) had similar mean SST scores and Constant scores to those in untreated shoulders with intact rotator cuffs. Those with healed repairs also had higher SST and Constant scores than those with unhealed repairs. Finally, shoulders with healed repairs had higher SST and Constant scores than those with untreated tears.


CONCLUSIONS
When rotator cuffs healed the function was comparable to that of similarly-aged patients without tears and better than that of patients with untreated tears.


METHODS
Level III, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Fehringer
Edward V
EV
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 981080 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-1080, USA. evfehringer@unmc.edu
Sun
Junfeng
J
Cotton
Jonathon
J
Carlson
Michael J
MJ
Burns
Erica M
EM
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D012421:Rupture; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014945:Wound Healing