Kim et al reported factors associated with a poor clinical outcome following repair of a rotator cuff retear. This can help to identify a patient who may require more aggressive management. The authors are from University of Ulsan in Seoul.
Patient selection: status post repair of a repeated tear of a rotator cuff
A poor outcome of surgery included:
(1) no improvement in pain and discomfort (or worse)
(2) minimal improvement with residual pain and discomfort
Predictors of poor outcome:
(1) female sex (OR 32.8)
(2) current smoking (OR 45.6)
(3) a retear that is the same size or larger than the initial tear (OR 10.3)
If the patient has 2 or more of these predictors, then the patient should be actively considered for revision surgery.
If the patient is female or a current smoker, then revision surgery should be considered.
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