Factors Related to Pain in Patients With Retorn Rotator Cuffs: Early Postoperative Pain Predicts Pain at 12 Months Postoperatively.

BACKGROUND

Retearing of a repaired rotator cuff leads to diverse symptoms, including pain, regardless of the degree of the tear, but the relationship between pain and retears is poorly understood.

PURPOSE

To determine which factors are correlated with shoulder pain in retears of a repaired rotator cuff.

STUDY DESIGN

Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed a cohort of patients who were diagnosed as having a retear on magnetic resonance imaging after primary rotator cuff repair. The primary outcome variable of interest was the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain score at 12-month and final follow-up (mean, 25.2 months). We evaluated the relationship of pain at 12-month and final follow-up with preoperative patient factors (age, sex, and underlying conditions), preoperative range of motion, and preoperative pain; postoperative pain at 3 and 6 months; and perioperative conditions (tear extent, tear size, accompanying lesions, and procedures other than rotator cuff repair).

RESULTS

A total of 48 patients were reviewed. The VAS score at 3 months postoperatively showed a positive correlation with the VAS score at 12 months postoperatively (ρ = 0.537; < .001) and at final follow-up (ρ = 0.537; < .001). Univariate and multivariate regression analyses revealed that the VAS score at 3 months postoperatively ( = .0001 and = .0017, respectively), hypertension ( = .0108 and = .0073, respectively), and late detection of the retear ( = .0091 and = .0208, respectively) were significant predictors of pain at 12 months postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

The presence of pain in the early postoperative period, underlying hypertension, and late detection of the retear were related to pain severity in patients 12 months after rotator cuff surgery.