Assessment of effect of additional shoulder pathologies identified during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgery on clinical outcomes

Rotator cuff disease is one of the most common disorder of shoulder joint. Rotator cuff diseases encompass a wide spectrum of pathologies from subacromial impingement to massive rotator cuff ruptures and shoulder joint arthropathy caused by absence of the rotator cuff. Our purpose is to evaluate the effect of additional shoulder pathologies on clinic results of patients who underwent arthroscopic repair of rotator cuff tear. Between 2014 January-2017 December, after clinical and radiological examination, arthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgery was performed for 93 patients who were diagnosed as rotator cuff tear. The patients were divided into two groups whether if they have additional shoulder pathologies or not. In group 1, there was 38 women and 23 men, totally 61 patients had additional pathologies and their mean of ages was 59,8 yo. In group 2, there was 32 patients who had no additional shoulder pathologies and their mean of ages was 54,1 yo. They were all recorded that demografical data, MRI reports, physical examination before surgery and 6 months after surgery, QUICK DASH and ASES scores and visual analog (VAS), type of anesthesia, the position of patient during surgery, finding during surgery were recorded for each patient and interventions. Before surgery and six months after surgery, in shoulder abduction and external rotation were compared between two groups and there was no statically significiant difference. Shoulder flexion degree and internal rotation degree before and after 6 months surgery were compared for both groups, Group 2 had statistically significant higher scores, than Group 1. QUICK DASH and VAS scores were also compared and there was no difference. The patients in Group 2 had better ASES scores before and after 6 months surgery than the patients in Group 1 (p=0.002, 0.020). According the results of this study, the patients who had rotator cuff tear and additional shoulder pathology may have less functional scores and less range of motion of shoulder than those who had only rotator cuff tear. The orthopaedic surgeons managing a rotator cuff pathology should consider this situation.