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Dr. Millett’s new study “Excellent Outcomes for 70-Year-Old Patients with Rotator Cuff Surgery” settles the issue of whether older patients benefit from rotator cuff repair. In an interview with Orthopedics This Week Dr. Millett said, “There is a fair amount of debate about whether older people with rotator cuff injuries will heal well after surgery. ‘Just send them to physical therapy,’ is what many surgeons say. Our new 44-patient (49 shoulders) study, which has just been accepted for publication by the American Journal of Sports Medicine, proves that rotator cuff repair is effective in recreational athletes over the age of 70.”
Rotator cuff injuries are very common and occur when any irritation or damage affects the rotator cuff muscles or tendons. Many activities can lead to this type of injury including falling, lifting, repetitive overhead arm activities and degeneration of the rotator cuff tendon. The incidence of rotator cuff damage increases with age.
Dr. Millett’s study, “… found excellent clinical results as measured by the American Shoulder and Elbow Standardized Shoulder Assessment Score; the average score was 90 on a scale of 100. When you look at our overall cohort of patients after rotator cuff repair, we find a mean score of 92, so the results in these active older patients were especially good,” said Dr. Millett.
To read the complete article, please click here: Orthopedics This Week: Excellent Outcomes for 70-Year-Old Patients with Rotator Cuff Surgery
