Objectives
Study the influence of concomitant arthroscopic procedures and rotator cuff tear (RCT) severity on daily pain intensity and disability following shoulder arthroscopy.
Methods
145 patients (mean age: 42.66 ± 17.6; n of males=96) completed daily pain intensity and disability measures prior to shoulder arthroscopy. RCT severity was assessed on a 7-point scale based on operative report. Operative procedures were categorized based on anatomical location and invasiveness to calculate a weighted concomitant procedure estimate. Postoperative daily pain and disability were assessed 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year status-post surgery.
Results
Only concomitant procedures was associated with 3 month daily pain intensity after adjusting for age, sex, pain duration, and baseline daily pain intensity (R2=.03; St. Beta=.203; p=.036). Moreover, post-hoc analysis revealed concomitant procedures remained predictive of 3 month daily pain intensity when the estimate was calculated independent of RCT procedures (R2 =.05; St. Beta=.233; p=.007), and when accounting for post-operative factors of physical therapy and analgesic medication (R2=.05; St. Beta=.237; p=.007). Neither RCT severity nor concomitant procedures were predictive of daily pain intensity at 6 months and 1 year, or disability at any time point, in the adjusted models (p>.05).
Discussion
This study introduces a novel means for estimating concurrent procedures for use as a prognostic factor. Our findings are similar to previous research of RCT severity which was found to have limited influence on postoperative outcomes. In contrast, this study highlights the potential importance of accounting for concomitant arthroscopic procedures as a predictor of early postoperative pain intensity outcomes.