title: Serial structural and functional assessments of rotator cuff repairs: do they differ at 6 and 19 months postoperatively?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some studies have shown that rotator cuff tendon (RCT) retears occur early after surgery and ultimate failure strength is reached at between 3 and 6 months. However, few clinical studies have been reported to support their theory. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the RCT integrity after repair showed any difference at 6 months and at 19 months postoperatively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one patients who underwent complete repair for full-thickness RCT tears that were medium-sized tears or larger and had 2 postoperative follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were included in this study. Retear, fatty degeneration, and muscle atrophy were evaluated during the first and second MRI sessions. Clinical assessment was performed by use of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Constant score, and pain visual analog scale preoperatively and at the time of the first and second MRI scans.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean time for the two consecutive MRI scans was 5.9 months (range, 3.1-8.3 months) and 19.7 months (range, 10.1-24.3 months). On the first MRI scans, 24 patients had no retear, 5 had partial retears, and 2 had full-thickness retears. In terms of rotator cuff retears, the 2 sets of MRI scans showed exactly the same statuses. The only statistically significant improvement was a reduction in tendinosis on the second MRI scans. In addition, significant improvements in clinical status were observed between the 2 periods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that the structural status of RCTs after arthroscopic repair can be assessed at 6 months after surgery. Furthermore, although functional status improved with time after 6 months, the structural status of repaired cuffs remained unchanged.
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Kyoung Hwan
authors: KH
authors: Koh
authors: Mukesh S
authors: MS
authors: Laddha
authors: Tae Kang
authors: TK
authors: Lim
authors: Jong Ho
authors: JH
authors: Park
authors: Jae Chul
authors: JC
authors: Yoo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D012782:Shoulder / Q000601:surgery; D000070599:Shoulder Injuries; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013718:Tensile Strength; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome