The Burden of Craft in Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: Where We Have Been and Where We Are Going

The rather turbulent history of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair went through stages of innovation, conflict, disruption, assimilation, and transformation that might be anticipated when a new and advanced technology (arthroscopic cuff repair) displaces an entrenched but outdated discipline (open cuff repair). The transition from open to arthroscopic rotator cuff repair has been a major paradigm shift that has greatly benefited patients. However, this technical evolution/revolution has also imposed a higher “burden of craft” on the practitioners of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Technological advancements in surgery demand that surgeons accept this burden of craft and master the advanced technology for the benefit of their patients. This article outlines the author’s involvement in the development of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, and it also explores the surgeon’s obligation to accept the burden of craft that is imposed by this discipline.