Table 2.

Complications after rotator cuff repair commonly treated by operative means

Complication	Usual signs/symptoms	Description of treatment
Chondrolysis	Pain, crepitus, loss of motion	May have a role for arthroscopic debridement or require arthroplasty
Deep infection	Pain, erythema, drainage	Irrigation, debridement, and removal of all hardware and foreign material able to be removed. May require open excision of sinus tract. Culture-specific intravenous antibiotics, transitioned to oral antibiotics
Deltoid injury	Pain, loss of active abduction, fluid collection at superior shoulder (AC joint)	Open direct repair or reconstruction with rotational deltoidplasty
Implant failure	Pain, crepitus, loss of strength	Loose body removal with possible revision rotator cuff repair
Osteonecrosis	Pain, loss of active and passive motion, crepitus	Reverse shoulder arthroplasty
Re-tear	Pain, loss of active motion, or decreased strength	Possible initial treatment with physical therapy in select case or revision rotator cuff repair in physiologically young, active patients. Muscle transfer is an option as well. In the elderly low demand patient, reverse shoulder arthroplasty is an excellent revision option