Will Routine Suprascapular Nerve Release During Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair Improve Patient Outcomes?

The suprascapular nerve is intimately related to the function and likely recovery of the rotator cuff musculature. Retracted rotator cuff tears have recently been shown to effect both the physical path in which the suprascapular nerve travels, as well as its physiologic function.

This study will be a randomized control trial with long term follow up that will add to and elaborate on the positive outcomes reported in other trials. Patients that have a rotator cuff tears with greater than or equal to 1 cm of retraction that have failed conservative treatment and require operative repair will qualify for the study. They will be randomized into two arms: In one arm, patients will undergo suprascapular nerve release immediately after their rotator cuff repair; they will be compared to patients that have rotator cuff repair with no release of the nerve. Post operatively, at different time intervals, patients will be expected to fill out multiple standardized, well established surveys that assess the patients pain level and shoulder function.