This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Study: Arthroscopic needling yielded high rate of persistent rotator cuff defects
Although arthroscopic needling provided good clinical outcomes, recently published results showed a high rate of persistent rotator cuff defects 1 year after surgery.
Researchers randomly assigned 20 patients with rotator cuff calcification to receive a perioperative platelet-rich plasma (PRP) infiltration at the rotator cuff defect and 20 patients to a control group. Researchers assessed patients clinically preoperatively and at 6-weeks, 3-months, 6-months and 1-year postoperatively. Outcome measures included the Constant score, the Simple Shoulder Test and the QuickDASH.
One year after the operation, results showed significant improvements in Constant, QuickDASH and Simple Shoulder Test scores for both groups. The Simple Shoulder Test and QuickDASH scores showed a significant influence of subacromial decompression 6-week follow-up, according to results. Researchers found no statistical difference in clinical outcomes after 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year of follow-up between groups.
According to sonographic evaluation, among the PRP group, six bursal-sided defects were noted at 3 months and three persistent defects were seen after 6 months. The control group had five rotator cuff defects at 3 months and five defects at 6 months.
Overall, results showed 93% of patients experienced persistent calcifications after 3 months and 90% had this development after 6 months. Researchers noted persistent rotator cuff defects in 13 patients in the PRP group, as well as in 13 patients in the control group. – by Casey Tingle
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.