Early Inflammatory Reaction after Rotator Cuff Repair with a Porcine Small Intestine Submucosal Implant

Background Porcine small intestine submucosal grafts have been successful in enhancing soft tissue repair, as demonstrated by animal studies. Currently, there are no reports of the use of such implants in human rotator cuff repair. Study Design Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods Over a 6-month period, 25 patients underwent rotator cuff repair by one surgeon using the Restore Orthobiologic Implant to augment the repaired tendon or fill a defect. Results Four of 25 patients experienced an overt inflammatory reaction at a mean of 13 days postoperatively. All patients underwent open irrigation and debridement of the rotator cuff and porcine small intestine submucosal implant. Conclusion Porcine small intestine submucosal implants should be used in rotator cuff surgery with the awareness that a non-specific inflammatory reaction can occur in the early postoperative period. This inflammatory reaction may cause breakdown of the repair. Further studies are needed to further characterize the reaction and determine which patients are susceptible.