Postoperative Healing Follow-up of the Rotator Cuff via Serial Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Timing of Reruptures and Functional Outcome Evaluation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63403/re.v32i1.386Keywords:
Rotator Cuff Injuries, Arthroscopy,, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Surgical Wound Healing, Treatment OutcomeAbstract
Introduction: arthroscopic rotator cuff repair using the double-row “transosseous equivalent” technique has demonstrated lower re-tear rates compared to the single-row technique in medium, large, and massive tears. The Sugaya classification, commonly used to assess healing via Magnetic Resonance (MRI), enables categorization and evaluation of repair integrity.
Objective: to determine, through serial magnetic resonance imaging at three, six, and twelve months, the timing of structural failure of the rotator cuff following arthroscopic repair of medium, large, and massive tears using a standardized double-row “TOE” technique. The secondary objective was to evaluate the functional outcomes obtained one year after the intervention and the association between re-tears and these outcomes.
Materials and methods: a retrospective cohort study was conducted on thirty-six patients with medium, large, and massive rotator cuff tears treated with arthroscopic double-row repair. Healing was assessed via MRI using Sugaya’s classification at three, six, and twelve months postoperatively, while functional outcomes were evaluated after one year using SSV, SST, WORC, and ASES scores.
Results: among the thirty-six patients (mean age: 60.2 years), 19.44% experienced re-tears, with the majority (85.7%) occurring within the first three months. No re-tears were observed between six and twelve months. The healing rate at one year was 80.56%. Functional scores (SSV, SST, WORC, and ASES) showed significant improvements in one year postoperatively (p <0.001).
Conclusion: the follow-up with serial MRI in the postoperative period of rotator cuff repairs using the transosseous equivalent (TOE) double-row technique showed that the highest percentage of re-tears occurred within the first three months. The evaluation of functional outcomes, comparing patients with and without complete tendon healing, revealed no significant differences at the one-year follow-up.
Level of evidence: IV– retrospective cohort study
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