The aim of this Guest Editorial is to highlight recent advancements in the study and practice of shoulder and elbow surgery for the practicing orthopaedic surgeon.
Rotator Cuff Nonoperative ManagementNonoperative management remains a primary method of treatment for rotator cuff tears, with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and corticosteroid injections as components of this treatment option. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis reviewed 9 studies with 537 patients. The authors found no difference in pain, function, complications, or retear rates when repair with and without PRP was analyzed 1 . Another systematic review and meta-analysis examined 9 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared PRP with corticosteroids to treat rotator cuff disease in 469 patients 2 . The Constant score, Simple Shoulder Test, and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score were reviewed at short-term, intermediate-term, and long-term follow-ups. Corticosteroids were superior in the short term, and PRP was demonstrated to be more beneficial in the long term.Perioperative management during rotator cuff repair continues to evolve. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors have been a mainstay, but their utilization in the immediate postoperative period following rotator cuff repair remains controversial. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis examined whether NSAIDs or COX-2 inhibitors influenced healing rates, functional outcomes, or patient satisfaction after rotator cuff repair 3 . The authors included 7 RCTs with 507 patients. NSAIDs did not affect the cuff healing rate, but NSAID use significantly improved postoperative pain and functional outcomes. Postoperative pain and functional outcomes were not different with COX-2 inhibitors. Zoledronic acid has also been the subject of recent investigation. A recent prospective, single-blinded randomized study enrolled 138 female patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis undergoing rotator cuff repair. Tendon healing was evaluated with ultrasound at 6 weeks and 24 months. The results demonstrated that zoledronic acid reduced the retear rate but did not significantly influence the clinical standardized outcomes 4 .Finally, the use of a brace compared with a simple sling was examined with a systematic review and meta-analysis 5 . The authors reviewed 275 articles, but only 4 articles (302 patients) met inclusion criteria. There was no advantage in brace compared with sling use in standardized outcome scores, a visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, and shoulder range of motion. The authors suggested that a simple sling may be a superior choice because of the potential cost savings.
Surgical Technique and Biologic AugmentationImproving the biologic environment for rotator cuff repairs may improve healing rates and outcomes. A recent RCT compared 60 patients treated with arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with and without bone marrow stimulation. Fifty of the patients were available at the 2-year follow-up. Clinical outcomes and retear rates w...