title: Management of rotator cuff tears.
abstract: Every year approximately 18 million Americans report shoulder pain, a large percentage of which are a result of rotator cuff disease. Rotator cuff tear progression can be difficult to predict. Factors associated with tear enlargement include increasing symptoms, advanced age, involvement of 2 or more tendons, and rotator cable lesion. Nonsurgical treatment can be effective for patients with full-thickness tears. When conservative treatment fails, surgical repair provides a reliable treatment alternative. Recurrent tears after surgery can compromise outcomes, particularly for younger patients with physically demanding occupations. Revision surgery provides satisfactory results for those with symptomatic re-tears. If the tear is deemed irreparable, addressing concomitant biceps pathology or performing partial repairs can reliably improve pain and potentially reverse pseudoparalysis. The reverse shoulder arthroplasty has limited indications in the setting of rotator cuff tears and should be reserved for patients with painful pseudoparalysis and associated arthropathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, PA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Emory Orthopaedic Center, Emory University of Hospitals, Atlanta, GA; Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. Electronic address: schmidtc@upmc.edu.
authors.forename: Christopher C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, PA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Emory Orthopaedic Center, Emory University of Hospitals, Atlanta, GA; Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Claudius D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Jarrett
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, PA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Emory Orthopaedic Center, Emory University of Hospitals, Atlanta, GA; Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Brandon T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D012307:Risk Factors; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013709:Tendon Transfer / Q000379:methods; D053656:Tenodesis / Q000379:methods
keywords: Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC); irreparable tears; natural history; recurrent tears; rotator cuff tears