The Rotator Cuff Registry is a unique initiative of the New Zealand Shoulder & Elbow Society. The aim of the study was to enrol nationwide all patients undergoing rotator cuff repair over a 22 month period to provide best practice guidelines for management of rotator cuff tears.

To qualify for the Registry patients have to undergo surgical repair of either a partial or full thickness rotator cuff tear. Prior to surgery patients fill out a registration document as well as a pain score and Flex-SF function score. The Surgeon completes an operating day questionnaire detailing operative findings and repair methods. Follow-up is by pain and Flex-SF function scores returned at six, twelve and twenty-four months from surgery.

By the 31st December 2010 3000 patients had been recruited. Analysis of the first 2684 patients for the purpose of this abstract showed 70% Male and 30% female. The dominant arm was involved in 65%. 19% of patients were in high demand occupations, 27% in medium demand and 33% low demand occupations. 16% of patients were treated with all arthroscopic repair, 40% were mini-open and 44% open. Comparing pre-op and one year post-op activity scores by surgical approach the Flex-SF improved by 12.97 points in the arthroscopic group, 13.3 in the mini-open and 12.72 in the open (NSS). Pre-op, 6 mth and 12mth pain scores were arthroscopic 4.60, 1.81 and 1.57, mini-open 4.34, 2.15 and 1.52 and open 4.82, 2.27 and 1.86. Preoperatively, the open approach had statistically more pain than the mini-open. At 6 months the arthroscopic group had statistically less pain than the open and at twelve months the mini-open had statistically less pain than the open group. For all tear sizes significant improvements in Fex-SF were seen both from preoperative levels to 6 month follow-up and from 6–12 month follow-up. A labral tear was present in 12% and repaired in 25% of these. No difference was seen in outcome between these groups Biceps tenolysis was undertaken in 27% and tenodesis in 23%. A single row repair was selected in 44% and a double row in 56%. Double row repair resulted in better Flex-SF scores in the large tears

Six, twelve and some twenty-four month data will be presented. Outcome was unaffected by the surgical approach with arthroscopic, mini-open and open results essentially identical.