Rotator Cuff Injury Management and Repair Techniques
Summary
Rotator cuff tears are a prevalent source of shoulder pain and functional limitation worldwide. Management strategies range from conservative approaches, including physiotherapy regimens, analgesics and activity modification, to various surgical interventions for persistent or large tears. Advances in imaging and arthroscopic techniques have refined patient selection and operative precision. Surgical repair aims to reattach the tendon to its humeral footprint, with techniques evolving from open to mini-open and fully arthroscopic procedures. Fixation methods include single-row, double-row and transosseous equivalent suture configurations, designed to optimise contact area and mechanical stability. Augmentative strategies such as synthetic or biological scaffolds, platelet-rich plasma and growth factor delivery seek to enhance healing at the tendon-to-bone interface. Rehabilitation protocols have diversified, encompassing accelerated and physiotherapist-led programmes, supported by emerging digital health platforms. Despite these advances, tendon healing failure and postoperative re-tear remain challenges. A nuanced understanding of tear size, tissue quality, patient factors such as age and comorbidities, and surgical technique is critical to improving outcomes and reducing the global burden of shoulder disability.
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Rotator Cuff Injury Management and Repair Techniques publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in rotator cuff injury management and repair techniques across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Rotator cuff: A group of four shoulder tendons and muscles that stabilise the glenohumeral joint.
Arthroscopic repair: A minimally invasive surgical technique using a camera and specialised instruments to reattach torn tendon to bone.
Tendon-to-bone interface: The region where the repaired tendon is secured to the humeral bone, critical for biomechanical strength and healing.
Augmented reality: A digital overlay of interactive visual cues used to guide and motivate home-based rehabilitation exercises.
Bioactive scaffold: A three-dimensional structure, often of natural origin, designed to support tissue regeneration and deliver bioactive molecules.
Re-tear rate: The proportion of repaired rotator cuffs that fail structurally over a defined postoperative period.
References
- A randomized controlled trial of postoperative rehabilitation using digital healthcare system after rotator cuff repair. npj Digital Medicine (2023).
- Bioactive Patch for Rotator Cuff Repairing via Enhancing Tendon‐to‐Bone Healing: A Large Animal Study and Short‐Term Outcome of a Clinical Trial. Advanced Science (2024).
- Retear rates after rotator cuff surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders (2021).
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