Editorial Commentary: Denial of Payment Limits Patient Access to Musculoskeletal Procedures: What Can Willie Sutton Teach Us About the Decreasing Incidence of Acromioplasty?

Abstract

Arthroscopic acromioplasty is one of the most commonly performed orthopedic surgical procedures. The indication for performing an acromioplasty has traditionally been based on the mechanical theory of impingement of the coracoacromial arch on the soft tissues of the rotator cuff footprint. Orthopedic surgeons have recommended surgically decompressing this phenomenon for six decades to eliminate shoulder pain and restore function. Recent high-level studies have cast doubt on the value of acromioplasty compared to other nonoperative treatment modalities. There is also an increased recognition and awareness that rotator cuff disease is as much a degenerative and senescent process as it is a mechanical one. There is now good evidence that the incidence of acromioplasty is falling significantly, especially in treatment scenarios that involve an intact rotator cuff. The cause of this decrease must be understood as multifactorial and related to both the clinical evidence and the economics and reimbursement policy concerning acromioplasty. Like many other high-volume and elective orthopedic surgical procedures, third-party reimbursement policy dictates patient access to treatments. Yet, current and future literature and clinical expertise determine proper indications for acromioplasty. Doctors are in the best position to indicate proper patient care.