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Acromioplasty has no effect on function, quality of life for patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair
MacDonald P. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2011. doi:10.2106/JBJS.K.00488.
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Although researchers found no differences in function or quality of life between 68 patients who had rotator cuff repairs with or without an an acromioplasty, they discovered a higher re-operation rate among patients who did not have the additional procedure.
Researchers for the study used the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff index as the primary measure and the ASES shoulder assessment form as the secondary outcomes. They measured outcomes preoperatively and at 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months after surgery, according to the study abstract.
“There were no differences in scores on the basis of acromion type nor were any interaction effects identified between group and acromion type,” the authors wrote. Each group showed significant improvements in both indices during the study, but there were no differences in the scores between the groups.
In the group with arthroscopic cuff repair alone, four patients—one patient with a Type II acromion and three patients with a Type III acromion — needed additional surgery before 24-month follow-up, the authors wrote.