What influences the decision to undergo rotator cuff repair surgery: A survey of clinician's perspectives

Background Many factors may influence a patient's decision to undergo rotator cuff repair surgery. The aim of this survey was to understand from a clinician's perspective how different factors influence the likelihood of a patient undergoing a repair.Methods An online survey presenting a range of clinical scenarios was distributed through professional networks to understand how each patient related factor influenced the likelihood of a patient undergoing a rotator cuff repair.Results One hundred three clinicians completed the survey. Clinicians indicated that patients were more likely to undergo a repair if they were younger, had a traumatic or larger tear, high pain levels (64.1%), high functional demands (93.2%), and arm weakness (86.4%). Surgery was less likely in older patients who had degenerative or smaller tears, diabetics (62.1%), smokers (78.9%) and those with high body mass index (57.3%). 74.8% of clinicians indicated a repair was more likely if the patient expected that surgery was required to improve symptoms.Discussion From a clinician's perspective, the decision to undergo surgery is complex, it is influenced by onset, age, tear size and other health related factors. Patient expectations of treatment also appear to influence the decision, and this is an area that needs further exploration.