Most reports on the results of treatment of tears of the rotator cuff have included surgical results, and only a few results of long-term therapy in non-surgically treated patients have been reported. We followed up non-surgically treated patients whose course had been monitored, and performed questionnaire surveys and direct examinations about 2, 6 and 19 years after the start of follow-up.
The subjects were 14 conservatively treated patients diagnosed with the complete tear of the rotator cuff by shoulder arthorgraphy in our department during the 3-year period between 1986 and 1989 and whose course had been known at the time of the survey in 1990 and 1994 and 1998. They could be followed up by questionnaire and direct examination.
Their mean age at the time of the initial examination was 61.6 years, and the mean follow-up period was 10.2 years. Patients with only slight pain after initial conservative treatment and who did not want to undergo surgery, were treated conservatively.
The evaluation was based on the scoring of JOA. All but 2 had favorable long term courses.
