Thirty-five patients were randomized to receive arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with L-PRF locally applied to the repair site (L-PRF+ group, n = 17) or without L-PRF (L-PRF− group, n = 18). Preoperative and postoperative clinical evaluation included the Subjective Shoulder Value, visual analog score for pain, Simple Shoulder Test, and Constant-Murley score. The anatomic watertight healing, tendon thickness, and tendon quality was evaluated using magnetic resonance arthrography at 12 months of follow-up.
No complications were reported in either group. The mean Subjective Shoulder Value, Simple Shoulder Test, and Constant-Murley scores increased from preoperatively to postoperatively, showing no significant differences between the groups. Complete anatomic watertight healing was found in 11 of 17 in the L-PRF+ group and in 11 of 18 in the L-PRP− group (P = .73). The mean postoperative defect size (214 ± 130 mm2 in the L-PRF+ group vs 161 ± 149 mm2 in the L-PRF− group; P = .391) and the mean postoperative tendon quality according to Sugaya (L-PRF+ group: 3.0 ± 1.4, L-PRF− group: 3.0 ± 0.9) were similar in both groups at 12 months of follow-up.
Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with application of L-PRF yields no beneficial effect in clinical outcome, anatomic healing rate, mean postoperative defect size, and tendon quality at 12 months of follow-up.