Objective: Rotator cuff repair (RCR) surgery is associated with a lengthy recovery period, resulting in productivity loss. This analysis aims to review the return to work (RTW) duration following conventional RCR in the literature and compare it to the RTW outcomes with a novel Bioinductive Implant^*.

Methods: A targeted literature search was performed through PubMed and Google Scholar to identify studies with RTW data following standard RCR surgery in the U.S. The burden of productivity loss in the workers’ compensation subgroup was also searched. RTW duration following RCR with the Bioinductive Implant^* was reported from the published REBUILD registry (Smith & Nephew) studies.

Results: Three major studies – a meta-analysis, a U.S. claims data analysis, and a surgeon survey – were identified, which reported RTW following conventional RCR. Three additional studies reported RTW in the U.S. workers’ compensation population. The mean (SD) RTW ranged between 1.8 (1.3) and 8.2 (2.7) months in the overall rotator cuff repair group. In the workers’ compensation patients undergoing conventional RCR, the mean (SD) RTW ranged from 5.0 (4.4) to 7.6 (2.6) months.

The multicenter REBUILD registry collected RTW data in 287 patients who underwent RCR with the Bioinductive Implant^* in the U.S. On average (SD), patients returned to work at 1.3 (1.7) months following surgery, with a median RTW of 0.5 months. In the workers’ compensation subgroup (n=27) the mean (SD) and median RTW was reported to be 2.9 (2.9) months and 1.8 months respectively.

Conclusion: RCR surgery is associated with prolonged time away from work, which may be longer in workers’ compensation patients. Preliminary evidence indicates that RCR with the Bioinductive Implant^* is associated with quicker return to work compared to conventional RCR and has the potential to reduce the societal costs resulting from productivity loss.

^*REGENETEN Bioinductive Implant. Smith & Nephew, Inc.