Arthroscopic and Mini-open Rotator Cuff Repair Yield Comparable Clinical and Structural Outcomes in Small to…

ReviewJournal of ISAKOS : joint disorders & orthopaedic sports medicine· Aug 2026

Arthroscopic and Mini-open Rotator Cuff Repair Yield Comparable Clinical and Structural Outcomes in Small to Medium full-thickness tears: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Importance.

Chulayut Yuwarungsikul, Krittapas Mathurunyanont, Jirut Sirisoonthron … Thun Itthipanichpong

Shoulder & ElbowReviewTreatmentQ1IF 3.7

Re-tear rates were similar after arthroscopic versus mini-open rotator cuff repair.

Arthroscopic and Mini-open Rotator Cuff Repair Yield Comparable Clinical and Structural Outcomes in Small to Medium full-thickness tears: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Importance.

Chulayut Yuwarungsikul … Thun Itthipanichpong

Journal of ISAKOS · Aug 2026 · Q1 in Orthopedics

Background

IMPORTANCE: Arthroscopic (ARR) and mini-open (MRR) rotator cuff repair are both widely used, but whether ARR offers clinical advantages over MRR remains uncertain.

Purpose

To compare the clinical and structural outcomes of ARR and MRR in adult patients with rotator cuff tears.

Methods

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level of evidence I-II, systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (randomized controlled trials).

Results

re-tear risk was not meaningfully different between the two techniques

RR by subgroup · 95% CI

More results

Functional outcomes did not differ between ARR and MRR at 3, 6, or 12 months (SMD range, -0.26 to 0.33; p ≥ 0.53).

Range of motion was also comparable at 6 and 12 months for both forward flexion and external rotation, with small pooled differences (MD<2°; p ≥ 0.18).

“

Conclusion · 1 of 3

ARR and MRR yielded comparable functional recovery, pain relief, structural integrity, and complication rates. Current evidence does not support the superiority of either technique.

Conclusion · 2 of 3

Technique selection should be individualized to tear characteristics, surgeon expertise, and resource availability.

Conclusion · 3 of 3

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level of evidence I-II, systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (randomized controlled trials).

Arthroscopic and Mini-open Rotator Cuff Repair Yield Comparable Clinical and Structural Outcomes in Small to Medium full-thickness tears: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Importance.

Arthroscopic and Mini-open Rotator Cuff Repair Yield Comparable Clinical and Structural Outcomes in Small to Medium full-thickness tears: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Importance.

Related papers