Is Acromioplasty of Benefit for Rotator Cuff Repair?

Acromioplasty has traditionally been an integral component of the surgical procedure of a rotator cuff repair. The extrinsic theory suggests detrimental acromial morphology can initiate rotator cuff dysfunction and tearing. Acromioplasty is performed to modify existing acromial architecture to remove mechanical impingement. Acromioplasty has become one of the most frequently performed procedures in orthopedic surgery, featuring significant increase in incidence over recent decades. Several prospective randomized control trials with similar randomization design have now been published, which directly compare individuals receiving rotator cuff repair with acromioplasty against a control group of individuals undergoing rotator cuff repair without acromioplasty. The results indicate that acromioplasty does not have a statistically significant impact on patient outcome scores following rotator cuff repair.