Role of Delay Between Injury and Surgery on the Outcomes of Rotator Cuff Repair: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Outcomes of rotator cuff repair (RCR) are influenced by several well-described factors, but the role of delay from injury to surgery on the outcomes is not clear.

Purpose: To assess the role of delay to surgery on the outcomes of RCR in the literature.

Study Design: Systematic review with meta-analysis; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods: PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were followed. All studies assessing outcomes after RCR-either retear rates or patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs)-and reporting delay to surgery were identified through June 2021 in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane. Inclusion criteria consisted of traumatic injuries, mean age <65 years, minimum 6-month follow-up, and assessment of retear rates with radiologic examination or reporting of PROMs. Random-effect models were used to assess outcomes, reported in odds ratio (OR) or mean difference (MD) with 95% CIs.

Results: A total of 8118 patients were included from 33 studies, with a mean age of 59 years (range, 53-64) and mean follow-up of 3.0 years (range, 0.5-8.2), among whom 53% were male and 74% had dominant-side injury. Patients undergoing surgery >3 months after injury did not have significantly higher retear rates (OR, 1.1 [95% CI, 0.5 to 3.1]; = .700), lower Constant-Murley score (MD, -6.2 [95% CI, -16.4 to 4.1]; = .240), or lower ASES score (American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons; MD, -12.9 [95% CI, -26.0 to -0.2]; = .050) compared with those having surgery within 3 months. Similarly, delaying surgery for 6 months did not result in higher retear rates (OR, 1.7 [95% CI, 0.8 to 3.7]; = .190) or lower PROMs. Delaying surgery for 1 year, however, led to an increased likelihood of retear when compared with <1 year (OR, 2.9 [95% CI, 2.1 to 4.0]; < .001), and this was similar for the 2-year cutoff (OR, 5.9 [95% CI, 1.1 to 32.1]; = .040). It was also noted that patients with an intact cuff at follow-up had a mean 3.9 months' shorter time from injury to surgery than patients with retear (95% CI, 1.0-6.8 months; = .009).

Conclusion: This systematic review with meta-analysis found that delaying rotator cuff surgery for 3 to 6 months did not lead to higher retear rates or inferior PROMs as compared with undergoing earlier surgery. However, delaying surgery for ≥1 year clearly resulted in higher retear rates after RCR. This study is limited by relying on retrospective studies, and larger prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Registration: CRD42021240720 (PROSPERO).