Does fat infiltration of the rotator cuff muscles contribute to increased hidden blood loss (HBL) and other risk factors during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair for rotator cuff injuries?

Key Points

• Fat infiltration significantly contributes to increased hidden blood loss during the procedure.
• Patients with greater fat infiltration experienced 25% more blood loss compared to those with minimal infiltration.
• Observational analysis across multiple surgical centers highlights the association of fat infiltration with surgical complications.
• These findings may enable surgeons to assess risk factors more efficiently before conducting rotator cuff repairs.