A clinical study of shoulder arthroscopic rotator cuff repair on the psychological function of patients after operation

Background: Recently, psychological function in patients who underwent rotator cuff repair has been emphasized. However, the relationship of psychological function and clinical outcomes after rotator cuff repair is still poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the impact of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair on psychological status. Methods: Clinical data were collected retrospectively from 60 patients with rotator cuff tears treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2013 to June 2016. Preoperative and postoperative parameters were calculated and analyzed, including the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain score, the University of California, Los Angeles Scale (UCLA), the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scale (ASES), the Simple Shoulder Test (SST), and the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) scores. Results: Compared with preoperative scores, the VAS score decreased significantly 1 year postoperatively (P<0.05). In contrast, the UCLA, ASES and SST scores improved significantly (P<0.05). The results of the Short Form 36 Physical Component Summary score (SF-36 PCS) and the Short Form 36 Mental Component Summary score (SF-36 MCS) were also improved, which had significant differences before and after arthroscopy surgery (P<0.05). Conclusions: Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair can significantly improve the psychological function of patients, promote their rapid recovery, and achieve satisfactory results.