Duration of Surgery and Learning Curve Affect Rotator Cuff Repair Retear Rates: A Post Hoc Analysis of 1600 Cases

BACKGROUND: Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair can be quite complex and time consuming, particularly early in the surgeon’s learning curve. HYPOTHESIS: Patients who have undergone rotator cuff repair with shorter operative times will be less likely to have a rotator cuff retear at 6 months postoperatively. STUDY DESIGN: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: This study was an analysis of data from 1600 consecutive patients (670 partial-thickness and 930 full-thickness tears) who had rotator cuff repair performed by a single surgeon utilizing an arthroscopic, single-row, knotless inverted mattress suture anchor technique. All patients underwent ultrasound at 6 months postoperatively to determine repair integrity. Moving average analysis was performed for the variables of operative time and case number to evaluate the surgeon’s learning curve. RESULTS: For early cases, the mean operative time was approximately 35 minutes. After approximately 450 cases, the operative time plateaued at approximately 20 minutes. The mean operative time for the cohort (±SEM) was 22 ± 0.3 minutes, and the mean retear rate was 13%. Increased operative time was associated with a retear (r = 0.18; P < .001). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the variables with the most independent effect on retears were larger tear size (Wald statistic = 36; P < .001), lower case number (ie, less surgeon experience) (Wald statistic = 28; P < .001), older patient age (Wald statistic = 23; P < .001), full-thickness tears (Wald statistic = 13; P < .001), and lower surgeon-rated repair quality (Wald statistic = 8; P = .004). Operative time was not a significant independent factor contributing to retears. CONCLUSION: Operative time and rotator cuff retear rates decreased as surgical team experience increased. The hypothesis of this study, however, was not supported. The reduced retear rate was not related to a reduction in operative time per se but rather to improved surgical team experience and patient factors, such as improved healing with smaller tears in younger patients.