04.30.14
Eight weeks of immobilization after arthroscopic single-row repair of a posterosuperior rotator cuff tear did not yield a higher rate of healing medium-sized rotator cuff tears than four weeks of immobilization, according to the results of a new study.
Researchers randomly assigned 100 patients who underwent arthroscopic single-row repair of a posterosuperior rotator cuff tear to be treated with immobilization for either four weeks or eight weeks. Patients were not allowed to perform passive or active range-of-motion exercises, including pendulum exercises, during the immobilization period.
After exclusion of 12 patients who did not have postoperative clinical evaluation, 88 patients were evaluated clinically and with magnetic resonance imaging postoperatively. Researchers compared ranges of motion, clinical scores and retear rates between the four-week and eight-week groups. At a mean of 35 months, 98 patients were contacted by telephone to investigate clinical outcomes.
Overall, 89 percent of patients rated their results as excellent or good and 10 percent of patients experienced full-thickness retears, according to study results. Researchers found five full-thickness retears in the four-week group and four retears in the eight-week group. Both groups showed no significant differences in range of motion or clinical scores at final follow-up.
However, according to study results, the proportion of patients showing stiffness was higher in the eight-week group.
Researchers randomly assigned 100 patients who underwent arthroscopic single-row repair of a posterosuperior rotator cuff tear to be treated with immobilization for either four weeks or eight weeks. Patients were not allowed to perform passive or active range-of-motion exercises, including pendulum exercises, during the immobilization period.
After exclusion of 12 patients who did not have postoperative clinical evaluation, 88 patients were evaluated clinically and with magnetic resonance imaging postoperatively. Researchers compared ranges of motion, clinical scores and retear rates between the four-week and eight-week groups. At a mean of 35 months, 98 patients were contacted by telephone to investigate clinical outcomes.
Overall, 89 percent of patients rated their results as excellent or good and 10 percent of patients experienced full-thickness retears, according to study results. Researchers found five full-thickness retears in the four-week group and four retears in the eight-week group. Both groups showed no significant differences in range of motion or clinical scores at final follow-up.
However, according to study results, the proportion of patients showing stiffness was higher in the eight-week group.