I had shoulder surgery on my Rt shoulder in 1998. Not Rotator cuff, it was distal clavosectomy and acromioplasty. Baisically they had to detatch my delt, cut off part of my colar bone and part of my shoulder blade to make more room and reattach my delt. Honest to God worst pain I have ever expereinced in my life. I've had knee surgueries to both knees at the same time (ACL, LCL. PCL, Meniscus) and it was a cake walk by comparision. I asked my knee doc why that was and he said shoulder surguries are so painfull because of all of the nerves extending out from your head. Any way, I was down for 6 months with extensive rehab. Hurt for a year. Never got to 100% and if I try to throw a baseball... forget it. I think my proceedure was more invasive than a cuff repair but I am not sure. The only thing I am sure of it they aint cutting on my left shoulder unless it turns green and starts to smell like a monsoon.
DW02 I tore my left rotator cuff. Had the MRI to confirm. Doc wanted to do surgery to fix it. opted to let it be. No way was I going through that again. Good luck with what ever you decide.