Biological Patch in the Repair of Rotator Cuff Tears: Functional and Clinical Evaluation of Twenty-Three Cases with a Mean Follow-Up of Six Years

Abstract

Background: Rotator cuff (RC) repair leads to less than optimal results when dealing with massive lesions, so the use of scaffolds as biological support has been proposed to improve RC repair site biology. The present study aims to evaluate the clinical and radiographical outcomes of a series of patients suffering from massive or irreparable RC tears treated with patch (porcine or human scaffolds) repair (augmentation or bridging). Methods: Twenty-three patients with a minimum follow-up of 24 months were subjectively, clinically, and radiographically assessed before and after surgery. Three different patient-related outcome measurements (PROMs) (American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Constant score, visual analog scale) were used for the subjective and clinical evaluation, while plain radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging where employed for radiographical follow-up. Results: Regardless of the technique (augmentation or bridging) or type of scaffold (porcine or human) employed, at follow-up, all patients experienced a statistically significant improvement in all PROMs and clinically. Conclusions: Patch repair represents a valid salvage procedure in massive or irreparable RC tears, improving the quality of life and eventually delaying the need for prosthetic replacement.