Resorbable Bioinductive Collagen Implant Is Cost Effective in the Treatment of Rotator Cuff Tears

Clinical Outcomes of Arthroscopic Treatment of High-grade Partial Thickness Rotator Cuff Tears with Augmentation using Bioinductive Collagen Implants Are Comparable to Tear Completion and Repair

PURPOSE

To evaluate and compare the functional outcomes and reoperation rates following bio-inductive collagen implant repair (BCIR) vs arthroscopic tear completion and rotator cuff repair (ARCR) for the management of partial rotator cuff tears at a minimum of 1 years follow-up.

METHODS

A retrospective review was carried out to identify patients ≥30 years old who underwent BCIR or ARCR for grade 3 partial thickness supraspinatus tears with ≥12 months follow up. Clinical outcomes assessed included range of motion, visual analogue score (VAS), American Shoulder Elbow Score (ASES) & Single Answer Numerical Evaluation (SANE) scores as well as clinical failure requiring revision surgery. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. The minimally important clinical difference (MCID) was calculated.

RESULTS

Participants included 48 patients who underwent BCIR and 37 who underwent ARCR, with a mean follow-up 27.3 ± 11.8 months, there were no significant baseline differences in demographics or tear characteristics between the cohorts. The mean surgical duration was shorter in the BCIR cohort (53 ± 10 vs 65 ± 17 minutes, p = 0.001). At final follow up there was no difference in ASES (p= .143), SANE (p = .167), VAS scores (p = .130), range of flexion (p = .159), abduction (p = .379) or external rotation (p = .281). Both groups obtained significant postoperative improvements (p < .02, for all). There was no difference in the achievement of the MCID for VAS (p = .999), SANE (p = .435) or ASES score (0.377). There was no significant difference in the rate of revision repair at final follow up 2.1% vs 5.4% (p = .577).

CONCLUSION

BCIR of high grade partial thickness rotator cuff tears results in reliable improvements in pain, shoulder function and range of motion equivalent to traditional suture anchor repair. There was no difference in the rate of MCID achievement or revision surgery.

STUDY DESIGN

Level III, retrospective comparative series.

Augmentation Techniques for Rotator Cuff Repairs

» Despite enhanced understanding of risk factors for failure and enhanced surgical repair techniques, the risk for failure of the rotator cuff to heal after surgery is still substantial.» A patient-specific approach to augmentation is essential, with decisions based on tear and patient characteristics.» Augmentation can improve repair strength and promote cellular infiltration, which collectively contribute to better healing outcomes.» Augmentation strategies may improve outcomes in rotator cuff repairs, particularly in high-risk cases; however, there is a lack of consensus among surgeons on the most effective strategies for each scenario.

The bioinductive collagen implant yields positive histological, clinical and MRI outcomes in the management of rotator cuff tears: A systematic review

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to report and discuss the outcomes of clinical, histological and animal studies exploring the application of bio-inductive collagen implants (BCIs) to partial and full-thickness rotator cuff tears (PT- and FT-RCTs) in addition to reporting on cost-related factors.

METHODS

Review of literature was performed using the PRISMA guidelines. A systematic electronic literature search was conducted using the CENTRAL, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EBSCOhost, EMBASE and Google Scholar bibliographic databases. Microsoft Excel was used to create tables onto which extracted data were recorded. Tables were organized based on the research statement formulated using the PICO approach. No statistical analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Nine studies evaluated clinical and MRI outcomes of BCI augmentation for FT-RCTs, seven evaluated similar outcomes when applied to PT-RCTs, two additional studies were case reports and three studies assessed application to FT- and PT-RCTs without stratification of results, one of which also reported on histological data. Two studies reported on histological data alone, and finally, two reported on healthcare costs. BCI augmentation, alone and combined with rotator cuff repair (RCR), displays generally good histological, postoperative clinical and MRI outcomes for PT- and FT-RCT treatment. Recent economic analyses seem to be in favour of the use of this procedure, when selected and applied for appropriate patient populations.

CONCLUSION

Several studies have shown promising results of BCI application to PT- and FT-RCTs, both concomitantly and independently from RCR. Investigations report promising histological characteristics, improved clinical outcomes, increased tendon thickness, reduced defect size and lower re-tear rates.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.

Bioinductive Collagen Implant Has Potential to Improve Rotator Cuff Healing: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

To systematically review the literature to evaluate the clinical studies on bioinductive collagen implant (BCI) for the treatment of rotator cuff tears.

METHODS

A literature search of MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library was performed based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Clinical studies reporting BCI for rotator cuff tears were included. Quantitive and qualitative data were evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 21 studies were included. In patients with full-thickness tears, 7 of the 8 studies with pre- to postoperative American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores demonstrated statistically significant improvements in mean pre- to postoperative ASES scores, with 75% to 100% of patients meeting the minimal clinically important difference. In those with partial-thickness tears, 7 of the 8 studies with pre- to postoperative ASES scores demonstrated statistically significant improvements in mean pre- to postoperative ASES scores, with 54.4% to 100% of patients meeting the minimal clinically important difference. For studies that quantified percent increases in tendon thickness, the reported increases ranged from 13% to 44% in full-thickness tears and 14% to 60% in partial-thickness tears. Six studies evaluated rotator cuff retears after BCI treatment in the full-thickness cohort, with rates reported ranging from 0% to 9%. Five studies evaluated rotator cuff retears after BCI treatment in the partial-thickness cohort, with rates reported ranging from 0% to 18%. Two of the included studies found that BCI was cost-effective due to the increased tendon healing, with cost savings of $5,338 to $13,061 per healed rotator cuff tendon.

CONCLUSIONS

The literature on rotator cuff tear augmentation with BCI has shown consistently reported good results. Additionally, there was evidence of low retear rates and consistently improved tendon thickness with BCI, with 2 randomized controlled trials showing improved tendon healing with BCI. However, there appears to be a higher rate of adhesive capsulitis reported.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, systematic review of Level I, III, and IV studies.

The Clinical Efficacy of the Regeneten Bioinductive Implant in Rotator Cuff Repair: A Systematic Review

Despite advancements in surgical techniques for rotator cuff repair, retear rates remain a significant concern. This study systematically reviews the evidence on the effectiveness of the Regeneten Bioinductive Implant in improving healing outcomes. A systematic review of the literature was conducted by searching on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science Core Collection and Cochrane Library. Studies reporting on effectiveness, safety, radiological, clinical outcomes, or patient- reported outcomes after Regeneten use, with at least 12 months of follow-up, were considered. 17 articles were included in this review, encompassing data on 1062 rotator cuff tears, of which 966 were treated with Regeneten. The implant use resulted in retear rates of 0% up to 18% after 5 years in PT tears and 0% up to 35% after 2 years in FT tears. In 1 randomised trial, the retear rate was significantly lower in the implant group compared to the control group. Constant- Murley Score (CMS) and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score showed a sustained improvement compared to pre-operative scores across all studies. MRI showed increased tendon thickness starting from 6 months, with MRI signals suggesting that the implant was integrating with the native tendon and becoming indistinguishable. While using Regeneten for rotator cuff tears of various sizes and chronicity is associated with reduced retear rates in some studies, the clinical outcomes remain within the same range as those seen with traditional rotator cuff repair. Additional randomized controlled trials are required to validate these results and clarify the appropriate indications for using this implant.

Adoption of a Societal Perspective in Economic Evaluations of Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Conceptual Paper

Economic evaluations are used to compare the costs and consequences of healthcare interventions, including those for musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders, which are very common and a major source of morbidity and absence from work. Reimbursement decisions for interventions for MSK disorders by decision-makers rely on the findings of economic evaluations, the design and results of which depend largely on the perspective adopted. Despite methodological advancements in economic evaluations, there are no clear guidelines on the perspective to adopt. This paper explores the adoption of a societal perspective in economic evaluations of MSK disorders. Within health economics evaluations, the most commonly used perspectives include the payer perspective, the healthcare perspective, and the societal perspective. To facilitate optimal resource allocation decisions in order to reduce the significant economic burden of MSK disorders and improve the health outcomes of individuals with these disorders, all costs and benefits associated with interventions for them should be included. Thus, the societal perspective is arguably a preferable option to the others for economic evaluations of interventions for MSK disorders.

Patch Augmentation in Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Surgery-Review of Current Evidence and Newest Trends

Background: Rotator cuff tears are a common and debilitating condition requiring surgical intervention. Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair is essential for restoring shoulder function and alleviating pain. Tear classification by size and tendon retraction, along with the grade for fatty infiltration, influence postoperative outcomes, with large tears and higher fatty infiltration grades linked to higher retear rates. Managing complex tears is challenging, with failure rates ranging from 20 to 94%. Patch augmentation has emerged as a promising strategy, using biological or synthetic materials to reinforce tendon repairs, enhancing structural integrity and reducing retear risk. Methods: A review of the recent literature from January 2018 to March 2024 was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science. Keywords included "rotator cuff tear", "rotator cuff augmentation", "rotator cuff patch", "tendon augmentation", "massive rotator cuff tear", "patch augmentation", and "grafts". Relevant articles were selected based on their abstracts for a comprehensive review. Results: Initial methods used autograft tissues, but advances in biomaterials have led to standardized, biocompatible synthetic patches. Studies show reduced retear rates with patch augmentation, ranging from 17 to 45%. Conclusions: Patch augmentation reduces the retear rates and improves tendon repair, but complications like immune responses and infections persist. Cost-effectiveness analyses indicate that while initial costs are higher, long-term savings from reduced rehabilitation, revision surgeries, and increased productivity can make patch augmentation economically beneficial.

Editorial Commentary: Bioinductive Collagen Implants Reduce Rotator Cuff Retear, yet Cost-Effectiveness and Improvement in Clinical Outcomes Are Unclear

The estimated health care costs of failed arthroscopic rotator cuff retears (RCRs) performed in the United States represent a huge economic burden of greater than $400 million per 2-year period. Unfortunately, retear rates do not appear to have improved significantly since the 1980s, despite advances in surgical technology and the biomechanics of repair. The failure of these advances to translate into improved clinical results suggests that the limiting step in reducing retear rates is biology rather than the biomechanics of repair. Bioinductive collagen implants (BCIs) are an emerging and potentially useful option for biological augmentation. Recent meta-analysis of preclinical and clinical studies demonstrates that biological augmentation significantly lowers the risk of retear. Retrieval studies from human RCR subjects who underwent treatment with BCI demonstrate cellular incorporation, tissue formation, and maturation, providing a logical basis for a reduction in retear rates as well as small increases in tendon thickness at the footprint. Although BCIs show potential as a possible game-changing solution for reducing failure rates of RCR, concerns remain regarding cost-effectiveness analyses and demonstration of functional outcome improvement.

Augmentation of a Transosseous-Equivalent Repair in Posterosuperior Nonacute Rotator Cuff Tears With a Bioinductive Collagen Implant Decreases the Retear Rate at 1 Year: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE

To determine whether the addition of a bioinductive collagen implant (BCI) over a transosseous equivalent (TOE) repair of medium-to-large posterosuperior rotator cuff tears improves the healing rate determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 12-month follow-up.

METHODS

A Level I randomized controlled trial was performed in 124 subjects with isolated, symptomatic, reparable, full-thickness, medium-to-large posterosuperior nonacute rotator cuff tears, with fatty infiltration ≤2. These were randomized to 2 groups in which an arthroscopic posterosuperior rotator cuff tear TOE repair was performed alone (Control group) or with BCI applied over the TOE repair (BCI group). The primary outcome was the retear rate (defined as Sugaya 4-5) determined by MRI at 12 months of follow-up. Secondary outcomes were characteristics of the tendon (Sugaya grade and thickness of the healed tendon) and clinical outcomes (pain levels, EQ-5D-5L, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, and Constant-Murley scores) at 12 months of follow-up.

RESULTS

Of the 124 randomized patients, 122 (60 in the BCI group and 62 in the Control group) were available for MRI evaluation 12.2 ± 1.02 months after the intervention. There were no relevant differences in preoperative characteristics. Adding the BCI reduced the retear rate (8.3% [5/60] in the BCI group vs 25.8% [16/62] in the Control group, P = .010; relative risk of retear of 0.32 [95% confidence interval 0.13-0.83]). Sugaya grade was also better in the BCI group (P = .030). There were no differences between groups in the percentage of subjects who reached the MCID for CMS (76.7% vs 81.7%, P = .654) or American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (75% vs 80%, P = .829), in other clinical outcomes or in complication rates at 12.4 ± 0.73 (range 11.5-17) months of follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Augmentation with a BCI of a TOE repair in a medium-to-large posterosuperior rotator cuff tear reduces the retear rate at 12-month follow-up by two-thirds, yielding similar improvements in clinical outcomes and without increased complication rates.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level I, randomized controlled trial.

Effect of Porcine-Derived Absorbable Patch-Type Atelocollagen for Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Even though arthroscopic rotator cuff repair is recognized as a standard treatment option, the risk of postoperative retear is a major concern.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of porcine-derived absorbable patch-type atelocollagen during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

STUDY DESIGN

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

METHODS

A total of 64 patients with rotator cuff tears diagnosed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were enrolled prospectively from November 2020 to December 2021. Both groups had repairs using the suture bridge technique. For the atelocollagen group, before securing the lateral anchors, we inserted porcine-derived absorbable patch-type atelocollagen between the footprint and the tendon. On postoperative day 2, the patients underwent MRI to confirm containment of the patch-type atelocollagen. At 6 months and 1 year postoperatively, the signal intensity of the repaired tendon was assessed using MRI. Patients were evaluated using the Constant score as the primary outcome, along with the visual analog scale for pain; range of motion; American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score; University of California, Los Angeles, score; and Korean Shoulder Score preoperatively and at 2, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively.

RESULTS

No significant changes in the Constant score as primary outcome, pain or other functional scores, and range of motion were observed between the groups at 1 year postoperatively. The patch-type atelocollagen was confirmed to be contained by the time-zero MRI scan taken 2 days postoperatively. Among the 55 patients included in final analysis, 12 retear cases were recorded (21.8% retear rate). A significantly lower retear rate was found in the atelocollagen group, as 3 cases were observed in this group (10.3%) and 9 cases were observed in the conventional repair group (34.6%) (P = .048).

CONCLUSION

The Constant score was not different between the groups. The retear rate after rotator cuff repair was significantly lower in the group that received porcine-derived absorbable patch-type atelocollagen compared with in the conventional group.

REGISTRATION

KCT0005184 (Clinical Research Information Service [CRIS]; https://cris.nih.go.kr).

Economic Evaluation of a Bioinductive Implant for the Repair of Rotator Cuff Tears Compared with Standard Surgery in Italy

INTRODUCTION

Rotator cuff tear (RCT) is a painful, progressive condition resulting from damage to the rotator cuff tendons and is the leading cause of shoulder-related disability. Surgical repair of rotator cuff is an established standard of care (SOC); however, failure of the procedure can occur. In this context, the use of collagen-based bioinductive implant REGENETEN showed long-term improvements in clinical scores. The aim of the study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of REGENETEN combined with SOC (SOC + REGENETEN) compared to SOC alone from both National Healthcare Service (NHS) and societal perspectives in Italy.

METHODS

A decision analytic model was developed to estimate the number of tears healed and costs for the two considered treatment strategies over 1 year. Clinical data were retrieved from the literature, and the clinical pathways for the management of patients with RCTs were retrieved from four key opinion leaders in Italy.

RESULTS

Over a 1-year time horizon, healed lesions were 90.70% and 72.90% for surgical repair of RCTs with and without REGENETEN, respectively. Considering the NHS perspective, mean costs per patient were €7828 and €4650 for the two strategies, respectively, leading to an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of €17,857 per healed tear. From the societal perspective, the mean costs per patient were €12,659 for SOC and €11,784 for REGENETEN, thus showing savings of €4918 per healed tear when the bioinductive implant is used. The sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the model results.

CONCLUSION

In the context of paucity of cost-effectiveness studies, our findings provide additional evidence for clinicians and payers regarding the value of a new treatment option that supports a tailored approach for the management of patients with RCTs.