Multiple rotator cuff surgeries

Dear Ask The Doctor: I have had rotator cuff surgery on my left shoulder two times in one year. It has torn AGAIN. My surgeon has said he would never do surgery a third time. My questions is, " What is the reason rotor cuff surgery should not be performed more than twice?"

Dear Rhonda: With each surgical procedure scar tissue is produced. This scar tissue makes it more difficult for each subsequent surgery to be performed successfully as it distorts the normal anatomy. Scar tissue is also more vascular than uninjured tissue which makes it more likely to bleed excessively. A third procedure on your shoulder may do more harm than good as it would extremely difficult to adequately repair the injured tendons.