Is systematic long-term sonographic follow-up after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair useful in asymptomatic patients?

OBJECTIVE: To establish whether ultrasonographic (US) appearance is correlated to functional outcome in asymptomatic patients 12 months after rotator cuff repair. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 26 asymptomatic patients at twelve months after arthroscopic cuff repair and 26 controls were retrospectively included. A clinical score (Constant's Shoulder Score, CSS) was compared with a US score (the modified Sugaya Score, mSS). The minimal thickness of the anterior and posterior parts of the cuff was also measured. RESULTS: CSS improved significantly from preoperatively to postoperatively (mean increased from 41 to 82.6, p<.001). Correlation between the postoperative CSS and the minimal thickness of the cuff at its anterior and posterior part (p=0.55 and p=0.13) was not significant. There was also no significant correlation between the postoperative CSS and mSS (p=0.34). CONCLUSION: The sonographic appearance of the cuff repair is not correlated to the functional outcome at 12 months after arthroscopic surgery in asymptomatic patients.