Search Filters

  • Presentation Format
  • Media Type
  • Diagnosis / Condition
  • Diagnosis Method
  • Patient Populations
  • Treatment / Technique

Do Pre-Op Corticosteroid Injections Increase Infections, Re-Ruptures And Revisions In Primary Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair?

Do Pre-Op Corticosteroid Injections Increase Infections, Re-Ruptures And Revisions In Primary Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair?

Kevin D. Plancher, MD, MPH, UNITED STATES Grace Plassche, BS, UNITED STATES Stephanie C. Petterson, MPT, PhD, UNITED STATES

Orthopaedic Foundation, Stamford, Connecticut, UNITED STATES


2021 Congress   Abstract Presentation   4 minutes   Not yet rated

 

Anatomic Location

Diagnosis / Condition

Treatment / Technique

Anatomic Structure

This media is available to current ISAKOS Members, Global Link All-Access Subscribers and Webinar/Course Registrants only.

Summary: A preoperative corticosteroid injection prior to primary arthroscopic rotator cuff repair does not lead to increase postoperative complications including infection, re-retear, and revision surgery.


Introduction

Recent studies suggest preoperative corticosteroid injections are a risk factor for post-operative infection and re-tear following primary rotator cuff repair. The purpose of this study was to compare postoperative infections, re-ruptures, and revision rates between patients who received a pre-operative corticosteroid injection before primary rotator cuff repair and patients that did not have a preoperative injection.

Methods

A consecutive series of patients that underwent primary rotator cuff repair by a single surgeon between 2005 and 2019 were included. Patient age, sex, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, and subacromial corticosteroid injection history were collected. Rotator cuff integrity was evaluated postoperatively using ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging. Infection was based on clinical diagnosis. Independent sample t-tests were used to assess differences in means and Chi-squared tests were used to evaluate differences in proportions (p<0.05).

Results

Seventy-four shoulders underwent primary rotator cuff repair and were included. Forty-eight patients were in the no preoperative injection group (age 60.7±12.0 years, BMI 25.4±3.1, 30 males, 18 females) and 26 patients received preoperative injection (age 59.8±11.4 years, BMI 27.9±3.7, 19 males, 7 females) (all p-values <0.05 except BMI p=0.0173). Eight patients (22%) in the no-injection group and three (18%) in the injection group had hypertension (p=0.741). One patient (3%) in the no-injection group and two (13%) in the injection group had diabetes (p=0.174). Average time from injection to surgery was 4.08±2.97 months (range 0.657-11.7 months). Average follow-up was 5.53±4.43 years in the no injection group and 3.18±2.87 years in the injection group (p=0.044). No post-operative infections were reported. Eighteen patients experienced re-tear (24.3%) (injection group N=6, 23.1%; no injection group N=12, 25%, p=0.135). Nine patients underwent revision RCR (injection group N=1, 6.3%; no injection group N=8, 22.8%, p=0.148). Average time to diagnosis of re-rupture was 1.86±2.29 years in the injection group and 2.48±2.60 years in the no-injection group (p=0.88). Average time to revision was 0.30 years in the injection group and 2.85±2.95 years in the no injection group (p=0.87).

Conclusion

Pre-operative corticosteroid injection did not impact rates of infection, re-tear, or revision surgery after primary arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.


More ISAKOS 2021: Global Content