How well does rotator cuff surgery work?

The overall success rate for rotator cuff surgery is difficult to determine precisely because there is a lot of variability in the age of the patients, the size of the tear, and the type of surgery. However, studies show that 85% or more of patients are improved to the point where they feel that their surgery was very worthwhile and their shoulder function is much better after surgery. In the situation where the torn rotator cuff cannot be fixed, many people still get very good pain relief and function from decompression of the shoulder without a rotator cuff repair.

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