Rotator Cuff Repair Outcomes: Arthroscopy vs Open Surgery

Rotator cuff tears are a common cause of shoulder pain and dysfunction that affect all kinds of people, from sedentary individuals to elite athletes. Surgical repair of rotator cuff tears aims to re-establish the shoulder’s normal anatomical structure with restoration of pain-free motion, strength, and function. Rotator cuff repair (RCR) has evolved from an all-open procedure to an arthroscopically assisted mini-open method and, more recently, to an all-arthroscopic procedure. The all-open RCR procedure remains as the gold standard (Ellman et al., 1986). Arthroscopic surgery is less invasive but this procedure is technically difficult and has been thought to require a longer operative time and to result in less secure repairs more prone to retear. However, there is little scientific evidence to support these suppositions. The present study was carried out to confirm or refute the hypothesis that open RCR gives superior clinical outcomes, shorter operative times, and more secure repairs.