Arthroscopic revision cuff repair: do tendons have a second chance to heal?

Despite careful patient selection and intraoperative complete footprint coverage, in this study the tendons did not heal to bone in 36% of cases after revision cuff surgery. The absence of tendon healing is associated with poorer clinical and subjective results. Patients aged ≥ 55 years and patients with larger tears (stage 2 or higher) and/or muscle fatty infiltration (fatty infiltration index > 2) have significantly lower rates of healing. Surgeons should be aware that structurally failed cuff repair may also be associated with low-grade infection.